NAMASTE Scheme
Why in News?
The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment celebrated the 3rd NAMASTE Day on July 14, 2026, in Kolkata to honour sanitation workers and review the nationwide progress of the scheme.
Basic Overview & Governance
- Full Form: National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem.
- Type of Scheme: Central Sector Scheme (100% funded by the Union Government).
- Nodal Ministries: Jointly implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
- Implementing Agency: National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC).
- Timeline & Coverage: Active from FY 2023–24 to FY 2025–26, spanning all 4,800+ Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across India.
- Predecessor: It completely replaced the older Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS).
Objectives
- Zero Fatalities: To completely stop hazardous sanitation work deaths.
- No Direct Human Contact: To eliminate manual handling of human faecal matter and toxic waste.
- 100% Mechanisation: Moving all sewer and septic tank operations from manual labour to advanced machines (like vacuum trucks and robotic cleaners).
- Skilled Workforce: Certifying and training all sanitation workers to handle safety devices professionally.
- Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs): The original focus group for urban underground sanitation safety.
- Waste Pickers Added: The scheme expanded its target pool to include waste pickers, collectors, and sorters involved in solid waste management to give them social security.
Major Benefits Provided to Workers
- Digital Profiling & ID: Workers undergo Aadhaar-validated e-KYC to receive a unique NAMASTE ID, making an invisible workforce formally recognized.
- Health Security: Direct integration into Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) for free health insurance coverage.
- Safety Gear: Free distribution of high-grade PPE Kits and occupational safety tools.
- Financial Subsidies: Under the Swachhata Udyami Yojana (SUY), workers receive upfront capital subsidies (up to ₹7.50 lakh for individuals) to buy their own mechanised cleaning vehicles, transforming them into entrepreneurs ("Sanipreneurs").
- Alternative Livelihoods: Promoting financial self-reliance through Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
- Emergency Units: The setup of Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs) at municipal levels equipped with safety devices.
- Financial Reimbursements: Municipalities can claim up to ₹2,00,000 for reinforcing regional safety infrastructure.
