Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasizes the value of obsolete office equipment and the ongoing e-waste disposal campaign under Special Swachhata Campaign 6.0.
On October 21, 2026, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, in an e-waste disposal activity at the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) during Special Swachhata Campaign 6.0, emphasized the importance of systematic disposal of electronic scrap. He highlighted the residual value of obsolete office equipment and the need to recognize this value.
Describing the campaign as a one-month exercise, Dr. Singh explained that its purpose is to reinforce cleanliness practices and renew commitment to the cause. The campaign, conducted from Gandhi Jayanti to Patel Jayanti, serves as an opportunity to reorient and strengthen these practices through focused action.
Dr. Singh pointed out that approximately ₹490 crore had been generated through the disposal of scrap within the first 15–17 days of the campaign and expressed confidence that the figure would more than double by October 31.
The Minister also discussed the change in the approach to disposal, stating that scrap was earlier sent to the market without a uniformised process. The current campaign, however, has adopted the GeM Portal for the disposal exercise, reflecting the growing recognition that obsolete equipment should not simply be treated as waste but that its residual value can also be realized.
Dr. Singh drew attention to the common practice in offices of discarding an entire computer set when an individual component becomes unusable, even when the remaining equipment is intact. He cited the example of 152 desktops and 52 air conditioners in the items identified for disposal, underlining the need to account for the value of equipment that has become obsolete or unused.
As part of the DoPT disposal exercise, three auction notices were floated on the GeM Portal on September 30, 2026, covering obsolete and unused IT items, electrical and electronic items, and furniture.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
