Uttar Pradesh
NAMASTE Day
- 17 Jul 2025
- 4 min read
Why in News?
On the occasion of the 'National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Day', (16th July), Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, inaugurated the helpline (14473) for waste pickers and distributed PPE kits and Ayushman cards to Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) and Waste Pickers, in Lucknow.
Key Points
About NAMASTE Scheme
- About: The NAMASTE scheme is a human-centric initiative by the government to ensure that no Safai Karamchari has to engage in hazardous manual work such as cleaning sewers and septic tanks.
- The scheme aims to improve the working conditions of Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) and promote their well-being through various support measures.
- Implementation and Duration: Launched jointly by the Union Ministries of Social Justice and Empowerment and Housing and Urban Affairs, the scheme is being implemented by the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC).
- The scheme, with a budget of Rs 349.73 crore, will run from FY 2023-24 to 2025-26, covering all 4800+ ULBs and replacing the previous Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS).
- Key Entitlements for Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs): The scheme offers various entitlements for SSWs to ensure their safety, well-being, and sustainable livelihood:
- SSWs are being profiled through a digital application.
- Provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits to ensure safety during work.
- Ensuring access to necessary safety tools and resources.
- Providing training to enhance workers' safety and skills.
- Ensuring comprehensive health insurance for SSWs.
- The scheme aims to create livelihood opportunities for SSWs through:
- Providing access to vehicles and machines related to sanitation at subsidized rates.
- Encouraging SSWs to start their own sanitation businesses, supported by capacity-building initiatives.
About Manual Scavenging
- Manual scavenging is defined as “the removal of human excrement from public streets and dry latrines, cleaning septic tanks, gutters and sewers”.
- A manual scavenger is anyone employed to manually clean, carry, or handle human excreta from insanitary latrines, open drains, pits, or railway tracks, before it fully decomposes, as per the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act (PEMSR), 2013.
- India prohibited the practice under the PEMSR Act, 2013, which acknowledges manual scavenging as a "dehumanizing practice" and aims to address the historical injustices endured by manual scavengers.
- Government Initiatives and Schemes:
