The Department of Youth Affairs under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is preparing to conduct Special Campaign 6.0, an annual initiative designed to reduce administrative backlog, strengthen cleanliness practices and manage electronic waste responsibly across government offices. The campaign will run for the entire month of October 2026, with preparatory work already underway since mid-September.
Special Campaign 6.0 marks the sixth edition of an exercise that has been carried out every year since 2021. This year’s edition places particular emphasis on the proper collection, sorting and disposal of electronic waste, or e-waste, in line with environmental guidelines issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Key facts
- Preparatory phase: 15-30 September 2026
- Implementation phase: 2-31 October 2026
- Focus area: Effective collection, segregation and disposal of e-waste
- E-waste from Shastri Bhawan building auctioned in December 2025 generated ₹2,35,100
- Physical files and records digitised in January 2026
- Campaign covers Department offices, attached offices, subordinate offices, field offices and autonomous bodies
What the campaign aims to achieve
The Department is undertaking Special Campaign 6.0 to institutionalise cleanliness practices known as Swachhata across all government offices under its control. The initiative also seeks to clear pending administrative matters, improve how government records are stored and managed, and make better use of available office space. A key new focus is ensuring that electronic waste generated by government operations is collected properly, sorted according to environmental guidelines and disposed of responsibly.
What happens in the preparatory phase
Between 15 and 30 September 2026, the Department is identifying all pending administrative matters that have been received from the Prime Minister’s Office, senior government officials, state governments and matters related to parliamentary assurances. Officials are also taking stock of redundant materials and equipment that need to be disposed of, and are finalising the procedures for their safe disposal.
A significant part of the preparatory phase involves assessing the volume and type of e-waste that has accumulated. The Department is working according to guidelines set by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to ensure that electronic waste is handled safely and in an environmentally responsible manner. It is also setting numerical targets for how much e-waste will be collected, sorted and disposed of during the implementation phase in October.
The Department is also using this period to strengthen how it manages physical records and office space. This includes reviewing existing practices and identifying areas where record-keeping and space utilisation can be improved across all offices and organisations under the Department’s purview.
E-waste management track record
The Department has already taken steps toward better e-waste management. In December 2025, electronic waste from Shastri Bhawan, which houses government offices in New Delhi, was auctioned off and generated revenue of ₹2,35,100. Additionally, the Department completed the scanning and digitisation of physical files and records in January 2026, reducing its reliance on paper-based record-keeping and freeing up office space.
What this means for you
If you have pending administrative matters with the Department of Youth Affairs, or if your state government or elected representative has submitted a request or parliamentary assurance to the Department, the campaign period offers an opportunity for faster processing and resolution. The focus on clearing backlogs means that matters that have been pending may receive renewed attention during the implementation phase.
The campaign also reflects the government’s broader commitment to environmental responsibility. By properly disposing of e-waste rather than simply discarding it, the Department is contributing to efforts to reduce electronic waste in landfills and protect the environment. This aligns with India’s electronic waste management rules and the responsibilities of government institutions in managing hazardous materials.
What happens next
The implementation phase will begin on 2 October 2026 and continue through 31 October 2026. During this month, the Department will execute the plans made during the preparatory phase: processing pending administrative matters, disposing of redundant materials and e-waste according to the procedures and targets finalised in September, and implementing improved record and space management practices across all its offices and organisations.