Department of Fisheries Successfully Concludes Special Campaign 4.0 Initiatives

The Department of Fisheries, under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, has successfully concluded its activities as part of the Special Campaign 4.0, a government-wide initiative led by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) to promote cleanliness, enhance efficiency and ensure timely resolution of public grievances and pending references. The campaign ran from October 2 to October 31, 2024, with a primary focus on office cleanliness, effective space management, and the expeditious handling of VIP and priority references.

Throughout the Special Campaign 4.0, the Department of Fisheries organized intensive cleanliness drives at field offices and its headquarters, including the offices located in Krishi Bhawan and Chanderlok Building. Key autonomous and subordinate institutions under the department—such as the Fishery Survey of India (FSI), Central Institute of Coastal Engineering for Fishery (CICEF), National Institute of Fisheries Post-Harvest Technology and Training (NIPHATT), National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical & Engineering Training (CIFNET) and Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA)—actively participated in the campaign. Dr.Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary (Fisheries), Ms.Neetu Kumari Prasad, Joint Secretary and  Shri Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary, led regular reviews and follow-ups on campaign activities to ensure compliance and dedication to the campaign’s objectives across all institutions.

During the implementation phase, the Department of Fisheries conducted special drives to address pending references, focusing on:

• Clearing Pending References: These included communications from the Union Minister ,Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Members of Parliament, State Governments, Inter-Ministerial communications, PMO references, public grievances and Parliamentary assurances. The Department regularly disposes off all the VIP references in a time bound manner. The pending 23 MP references and 10 State references identified during the Swachhata Special Campaign were disposed off successfully by the Department.

• Records Review and Weeding: In compliance with the Central Secretariat Manual of Office Procedure (CSMOP) and the Public Records Act of 1993, the department systematically reviewed and disposed off outdated physical records. A record number of 3302 physical files were reviewed,  out of which 1901 files were weeded out.

During Inspection and before decluttering:-

After decluttering:-

• Enhanced Office Cleanliness and Organization: Efforts were directed toward creating a cleaner, more organized and productive work environment by reducing clutter and promoting cleanliness.

Special Campaign 4.0 underscores the Government of India’s commitment to improved governance through streamlined office management, cleanliness and prompt response to pending matters. The Department of Fisheries is dedicated to making cleanliness (Swachhata) a core part of its organizational culture and will continue fostering these values to ensure a cleaner and more efficient work environment. To further reinforce the goals of the Special Campaign 4.0, the department organized internal awareness programs for its staff, promoting active participation in cleanliness activities, focusing on timely grievance redressal, and efficient records management.

With the proactive involvement of all its employees, the Department of Fisheries reports the successful achievement of the campaign objectives by October 31, 2024.