Agricultural Research and Education Department to Focus on Swachhata, Grievance Redressal, Record Management, Hygiene and Waste-to-Wealth Initiatives from October 2–31

New Delhi, September 16, 2026: The Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) will undertake Special Campaign 6.0 from October 2 to October 31, 2026, focusing on cleanliness, reducing pendency and improving the efficiency of government offices.

The campaign will build on the initiatives undertaken during Special Campaign 5.0, which included efforts covering public grievance disposal, hygiene and sanitation, food safety, waste management, paperless functioning, record management and improved utilisation of office spaces.

Key Highlights

• Special Campaign 6.0 will run from October 2 to October 31, 2026.
• DARE/ICAR will focus on Swachhata and reducing pendency in government offices.
• Public grievance disposal and timely redressal will remain key priorities.
• Campaign activities will include hygiene, sanitation, food safety and waste-to-wealth initiatives.
• DARE/ICAR will continue efforts towards paperless functioning through the e-File system.
• Physical files and accumulated records will be reviewed for disposal and closure.
• Better utilisation of office space and disposal of scrap and waste will remain part of the campaign.
• The initiative will also promote environment-friendly practices, tree plantation and conservation measures.

Building on Special Campaign 5.0

DARE and ICAR’s Special Campaign 6.0 will build on the outcomes of the previous campaign, during which efforts were undertaken to regularly dispose of pending references and strengthen public grievance redressal.

During Special Campaign 5.0, the department reported the disposal of a high number of Public Grievances and Public Grievance Appeals, alongside awareness and cleanliness activities across DARE/ICAR branches throughout the country.

The campaign covered several areas, including health, food safety, hygiene and sanitation, waste-to-wealth, tree plantation, office beautification, space management and environmental conservation.

Focus on Paperless Government Operations

A significant component of the campaign has been the transition towards paperless functioning.

DARE/ICAR has continued to use the e-File system for digital record management. During the previous campaign, targets related to the disposal of physical files and review and closure of e-Files were undertaken.

The process also helped free office space and facilitate the disposal of accumulated scrap and waste.

Under Special Campaign 6.0, the department plans to further strengthen these practices, with an emphasis on efficient record management, reducing pendency and making better use of available office infrastructure.

Hygiene, Food Safety and Waste Management Remain Relevant

The campaign’s focus on hygiene, food safety, sanitation and waste-to-wealth initiatives also connects with broader sustainability and cleanliness priorities across India’s food ecosystem.

While the campaign is primarily focused on government offices and institutional functioning, these areas are increasingly relevant to the wider food and hospitality sector, where sanitation, responsible waste management and resource efficiency are integral to operational practices.

The continued emphasis on waste-to-wealth initiatives also aligns with efforts to move from waste disposal towards resource recovery and reuse.

Impact on Hospitality, Food and Tourism

The direct impact of Special Campaign 6.0 on hotels, restaurants and tourism businesses is limited because the programme primarily concerns government offices. However, several of its focus areas align with priorities already relevant to the hospitality industry.

Food safety and hygiene: Greater institutional emphasis on food safety and sanitation reinforces the importance of safe food-handling practices across the wider food ecosystem.

Waste management: Waste-to-wealth and resource-conservation initiatives are relevant to hotels, restaurants and institutional food operations seeking to reduce food, packaging and other operational waste.

Sustainable operations: Tree plantation, environmental practices and conservation measures complement the broader sustainability agenda increasingly adopted across hospitality and tourism.

Efficient public administration: Better record management, grievance redressal and reduced administrative pendency can indirectly contribute to more efficient government-facing processes for businesses and citizens.

Industry Takeaway

Special Campaign 6.0 places cleanliness and administrative efficiency alongside digital record management, waste reduction, hygiene and environmental practices.

For the hospitality and food industry, the broader relevance lies in the campaign’s focus on cleanliness, food safety, waste management and sustainable resource use—areas that increasingly influence how hotels, restaurants and tourism businesses operate and engage with their surrounding communities.

DARE/ICAR’s continuation of these measures also reflects a wider push towards more efficient, paperless and environmentally responsible institutional operations.