The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare reported on the activities of DARE/ICAR institutes under Swachhata Special Campaign 6, a cleanliness awareness initiative. The campaign aims to raise awareness about hygiene among students for better health and foster civic duties for a healthy society, with large-scale public awareness as a primary goal.
At ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region in Patna, Bihar, the institution enhanced premises appearance and implemented protection against harmful insects for visitors and field workers. The cleanliness drive focused on maintaining a clean, hygienic, and environmentally friendly atmosphere while creating awareness about cleanliness importance in agricultural research institutions. Specific activities included cleaning farm surroundings, removing unwanted vegetation, collecting litter and waste materials, and maintaining cleanliness along internal pathways, open spaces, and common areas.
At ICAR - Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute in Goa, staff conducted weeding of physical vouchers according to record retention guidelines, which helped manage and free up storage space. The institute also undertook scrap identification from field units, identifying unserviceable and obsolete items for proper disposal. Specifically, they identified 70 kg of metal items, 200 kg of MCB panels, 100 kg of fencing wire, and 20 kg of plastic items for disposal, which were catalogued for processing under approved disposal mechanisms.
At ICAR-Mahatma Gandhi Integrated Farming Research Institute in Motihari, Bihar, the cleanliness campaign focused on plantation area upkeep. Activities covered banana plantation rows and adjoining green spaces, addressing overgrown weeds, unwanted vegetation, and scattered litter. The maintenance emphasized plantation-row maintenance, weed and vegetation management, litter clearance, and routine sanitation of institutional green spaces to keep areas clean, accessible, and well-maintained.