Campaign Across 114 ICAR Institutions Promotes Cleaner Tourist Destinations, Plastic-Free Initiatives, Eco-Friendly Celebrations and Responsible Public-Space Management

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), along with its 114 institutes, regional centres, Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes (ATARIs) and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), is participating in the nationwide Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign, being conducted from 17 September to 2 October under the theme “Swachhata Mein Sahbhag, Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat.”

The campaign focuses on cleanliness, community participation, sustainable waste management and the transformation of public spaces. Its activities extend beyond institutional premises to tourist destinations, heritage sites, riverbanks, public toilets and other community areas, reinforcing the importance of cleanliness in strengthening India’s tourism and public-service infrastructure.

For the hospitality and tourism industry, the initiative highlights the growing importance of destination cleanliness, responsible visitor behaviour, waste reduction and community involvement in creating welcoming travel experiences.

Key Highlights

• 114 ICAR institutions and establishments are participating in the nationwide cleanliness campaign.
• Clean tourist destinations: Activities promote cleanliness at tourist spots, ASI monuments and other public spaces.
• Waste management: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle initiatives include Waste to Art, Kabaad Se Jugaad, plastic-free drives and recycling activities.
• Eco-friendly celebrations: Community initiatives encourage zero-waste festivities and composting of flowers and religious offerings.
• Youth participation: Students and young people are being engaged through cleanliness drives, awareness programmes and competitions.
• Sanitation worker welfare: Activities emphasise the safety, health, dignity and social welfare of Safai Mitras.
• Public participation: Cleanliness drives extend to riverbanks, ghats, visarjan sites and other shared spaces.

Five Pillars of the Campaign

1. Cleaner Public Spaces and Cleanliness Target Units

ICAR institutions are undertaking cleanliness and beautification drives at identified neglected locations, including bus stands, institutional premises, research fields and other public spaces. Staff, students and local communities are participating in efforts to transform these areas into cleaner and more welcoming environments.

These initiatives reflect the importance of maintaining clean surroundings around transport hubs, public facilities and community spaces frequently used by residents and visitors.

2. Youth Engagement Through Swachh Paathshala

Under the Swachh Paathshala: Yuva for Swachhata initiative, students and young people are participating in cleanliness drives, awareness activities, demonstrations and competitions.

The objective is to make cleanliness a sustained habit rather than a short-term campaign activity, encouraging younger generations to adopt responsible waste-disposal practices and contribute to cleaner destinations.

3. Safai Mitra Safety, Dignity and Welfare

The campaign also focuses on the health, safety and dignity of sanitation workers. Activities include awareness of social welfare schemes and cleanliness improvements at public toilets and sanitation facilities.

For hotels, restaurants and other hospitality establishments, this focus reinforces the importance of safe working conditions, proper sanitation systems and respect for the teams responsible for maintaining hygienic environments.

4. Community Participation and Responsible Tourism

The Jan Bhagidari pillar promotes collective responsibility for public cleanliness through activities at riverbanks, ghats, visarjan sites and other shared spaces. Initiatives include eco-friendly festivities, zero-waste celebrations and composting of floral waste and religious offerings.

A particularly relevant component is the focus on Swachh Tourist Spots, which encourages cleanliness at tourist destinations, ASI monuments and other public spaces. Activities also seek to draw public attention to the upkeep of heritage sites and promote responsible tourism.

Cleaner visitor environments can contribute to a better destination experience, particularly at heritage attractions, religious tourism centres and other locations that receive large numbers of visitors.

5. Swachhata Se Samriddhi: Turning Waste into Resources

The fifth pillar promotes the principles of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle through plastic-free initiatives, recycling drives, Kabaad Se Jugaad and Waste to Art activities.

The focus is on reusing discarded materials, creating useful products from waste and encouraging more responsible resource management. These practices are relevant to the hospitality sector, where food waste, packaging, disposable materials and other operational waste require systematic management.

Impact on Hospitality, Travel and Tourism

Cleaner Destinations Can Improve Visitor Experiences

Clean streets, well-maintained public toilets, litter-free heritage sites and better-kept tourist attractions are essential elements of destination quality. By extending cleanliness activities to public and tourist spaces, the campaign reinforces an important aspect of India’s tourism experience: maintaining the environments that visitors travel to explore.

Sustainability Gains Importance for Hotels and Restaurants

The campaign’s emphasis on recycling, plastic reduction, composting and waste reuse aligns with sustainability priorities across hotels, restaurants, resorts and institutional catering operations.

Hospitality businesses can draw practical lessons from these initiatives by improving waste segregation, reducing single-use plastics, composting suitable organic waste and involving employees and guests in responsible resource use.

Heritage and Religious Tourism Stand to Benefit

Cleanliness drives at monuments, ghats, riverbanks and visarjan sites are particularly relevant to heritage, cultural and religious tourism. Better upkeep of these shared spaces can help protect local environments while supporting more pleasant experiences for domestic and international visitors.

Greater Community Participation Supports Destination Management

The involvement of students, employees and local communities highlights the role of collective action in maintaining tourist destinations. Hotels, tourism operators, local authorities and destination-management organisations can complement such efforts through neighbourhood clean-ups, visitor awareness campaigns and partnerships with local communities.

Sanitation and Workforce Dignity Remain Essential

The focus on Safai Mitra welfare also draws attention to the people who maintain public hygiene. For hospitality businesses, this underscores the need to combine cleanliness standards with appropriate worker safety, sanitation infrastructure and dignified working conditions.

Campaign Culmination and Way Forward

The campaign’s concluding activities were scheduled around the nationwide Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath shramdaan initiative on 1 October 2026, followed by the observance of Swachh Bharat Diwas on 2 October. Planned activities included cleanliness drives, showcasing transformed public spaces, plantation under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam initiative and recognition of contributors.

ICAR is documenting activities across its institutional network through photographs and daily reports, with information disseminated through its website, social media platforms and other communication channels.

Industry Takeaway

Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 reinforces the link between cleanliness, sustainability and India’s tourism readiness. For hotels, restaurants, travel companies and destination managers, its priorities offer a practical framework for reducing waste, improving sanitation, supporting local communities and encouraging responsible visitor behaviour.

As India continues to develop its tourism offerings, maintaining clean public spaces and protecting the environments around attractions will remain an important shared responsibility for government institutions, tourism stakeholders, hospitality businesses and visitors.