NAMASTE Scheme: 90,186 Sewer Workers Validated in 36 States, UTs

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has released a progress update on the NAMASTE Scheme, short for National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem. The scheme works to secure the safety and dignity of sanitation workers by building an ecosystem that recognises their role in running and maintaining sanitation infrastructure. The figures were shared by the Ministry's Secretary, Sudhansh Pant.

Sewer and septic tank workers

As on 22 September, this component covers all 36 States and Union Territories, and 90,186 workers have been validated. The validated workforce is made up of 86,468 men, 3,713 women and five transgender persons.

Safety gear, insurance and training

Mechanisation through Swachhta Udyami Yojana

Under the capital subsidy support for mechanisation, delivered through the Swachhta Udyami Yojana, 983 beneficiaries have been assisted with an amount of Rs 34.16 crore. The idea is to move sanitation work away from human effort and towards machines owned by the workers themselves.

Waste pickers

The waste picker component has profiled 2,51,756 waste pickers across 34 States and Union Territories. Of these, 1,35,233 are men, 1,16,498 are women and 25 are transgender persons. For this group the Ministry has completed 7,526 health insurance eKYC processes, and implementation is supported by 17 training providers and 33 resource organisations.

Who implements it

The Secretary said the scheme promotes sustainable livelihoods, capacity building, access to safety gear and mechanisation through interventions carried out by the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation, known as NSKFDC. Taken together, profiling, occupational safety, health insurance coverage, capacity building and mechanisation are meant to make the sanitation ecosystem safer and more dignified, while widening livelihood and social security support for sanitation workers and waste pickers alike.