In a remarkable achievement, central government offices spanning an area equivalent to approximately 320 football fields have been systematically decluttered and revamped over the past two years as part of two distinctive initiatives, according to available data. The government now intends to intensify these efforts with the upcoming ‘Special Campaign 3.0’, aimed at achieving a state of maximum efficiency in all offices.
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) has reported that approximately 90% of files within Central government Ministries and attached offices are now generated electronically, marking a significant shift towards a digital workspace.
The ongoing ‘Special Campaign’ Secretariat reforms, a multifaceted approach that includes eliminating physical files, reducing the backlog of public grievances, beautifying office spaces, and embracing digital practices, have been instrumental in this transformation. Two successful campaigns have already been executed, with the third scheduled to take place from October 2nd to October 31st.
V. Srinivas, Secretary, DARPG, stated, “The Special Campaign 3.0, inspired by the ideals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeks to institutionalize swachhata [cleanliness] and minimize pendency in government with a saturation approach. The previous two campaigns, along with the continuous adoption of these practices, have led to a significant overhaul of government offices. This has resulted in the timely resolution of public grievances, the digitization of office spaces, and the archiving of office records.”
To oversee the campaign, a dedicated portal has been established.
Between October 2021 and July 2023, a total of 184.66 lakh square feet, equivalent to 423 acres, of space was liberated in Central government offices across the country. Old computer equipment, printers, desks, tables, cupboards, and vehicles, among other items, were removed and sold in the open market as scrap, generating revenue of ₹595.57 crore for the government. Notably, the Indian Army also participated, selling used trucks in the open market and earning ₹212 crore in the process.
During the cleanliness drive, some historically significant files, dating back to the British era, were discovered. One such file pertained to the Partition and was subsequently handed over to the National Archives of India (NAI) for preservation.
The data indicates a substantial increase in the generation of e-files over the past three years. In 2020, the total number of e-files generated across Ministries was 14.27 lakh, a figure that surged to 31.90 lakh e-files by June 30, 2023.
The adoption of the e-office system has been instrumental in enhancing efficiency and transparency on the path to establishing a ‘digital Secretariat.’ Of the 84 Ministries and departments, 75 have fully embraced the e-office system. However, Ministries such as Home, Environment, Information and Broadcasting, and Civil Aviation continue to rely on paper files and are yet to complete the transition to digital practices.
It’s important to note that the e-office system does not cater to “secret, top secret, classified communications,” which are exclusively handled in physical form.
The official added, “During an audit, significant pending replies to queries raised by Members of Parliament were identified. All Ministries were urged to expedite responses and give special attention to public grievances received on the Central government’s portal (CPGRAMS).”
The number of Members of Parliament references resolved increased from 8,765 in October 2021 to 19,973 in July 2023, with a total of 37,781 MP references now closed. Likewise, the number of settled public grievances in the past two years reached 40,31,289.
