NAMASTE Scheme Aims to Improve Safety and Welfare of Sanitation Workers

India government has launched the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme to enhance the safety, dignity, and welfare of sanitation workers in India. Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar, handed over Ayushman Bharat health insurance cards and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to sanitary workers in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, under the scheme on May 8, 2025. NAMASTE focuses on eliminating manual scavenging, a dangerous activity with severe health consequences, and encouraging mechanized sanitation procedures. It is part of the government's overall initiative to take care of the welfare of sanitation workers who have traditionally been socially ostracized and exposed to hazardous working conditions.

The program provides an integrated welfare package to sanitation workers, such as protection equipment like PPE kits, health cover under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, and affordable loans for purchasing mechanized cleansing vehicles. During the Maharashtra event, Dr. Kumar also handed over safety equipment for Emergency Response Sanitation Units to state and city civic bodies, a landmark in the national push towards sanitation modernization. The steps are designed to mitigate physical hazards and enhance access to health care for the workers who carry out sewer and septic tank cleansing.

At the country level, the program has empowered over 68,000 sanitation workers, and nearly 46,000 of them have received PPE kits, while over 28,000 have been issued health insurance cards. Empowerment of the workers does not only happen on the physical plane but also at the economic front through loans offered at a lower interest for mechanized sanitation vehicles, which helps in making things more efficient as well as in reducing dependency on manual scavenging. The initiative aligns with the government's vow of inclusive growth and prosperity for marginalized sections.

NAMASTE scheme also facilitated more than 68,000 workers enrolling as a step towards appreciation of their contribution towards public health and sanitation. Guest speakers who attended the program were representatives of Maharashtra state governments' sanitation department and backward class development departments along with different welfare associations attended the program to count the advantage obtained by sanitation workers because of this scheme.

The continued focus on sanitation workers' well-being is a part of the overall government mission of ensuring the safety, dignity, and economic empowerment of sanitation workers. As the coverage of the scheme goes up, the life of sanitation workers is expected to improve with healthier, cleaner, and safer cities and communities across India.

Source: PIB (Press Information Bureau)