Why in news?
The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment released new data on the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme. Since its launch in 2023–24 the programme has profiled nearly 91,000 sewer and septic‑tank workers and provided thousands with protective equipment, health insurance and financial support. The 2026 update also highlighted the inclusion of waste pickers as beneficiaries.
Background
NAMASTE is a central‑sector scheme designed to end hazardous manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks. It carries forward components of the earlier Self‑Employment Scheme for the Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers. Waste pickers were added as a target group in 2024–25. The scheme seeks to ensure the safety and dignity of sanitation workers by promoting mechanised cleaning, providing training and alternative livelihood support, and linking workers to social‑security schemes such as Ayushman Bharat.
Core objectives
- Safety and dignity: Recognise sanitation workers as essential contributors to urban infrastructure and provide them with protective gear, insurance and health coverage.
- Mechanisation: Replace manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks with mechanised equipment. Capital subsidies are provided under the Swachhata Udyami Yojana so that individuals and groups can purchase de‑sludging machines and vehicles.
- Livelihood diversification: Offer skill development and financial assistance so that workers can take up alternative occupations and break inter‑generational dependence on sanitation work.
- Waste‑picker integration: Recognise waste pickers’ role in waste recovery and recycling, provide them with identity cards, health insurance and safer working conditions, and link them to welfare schemes.
Progress reported in 2026
- Nearly 90,942 sewer and septic‑tank workers profiled, of which over 89,000 have been validated.
- About 87,037 sanitation workers have received personal protective equipment kits.
- More than 76,000 workers have been enrolled in health insurance schemes, and capital subsidies worth over ₹34 crore have been disbursed to help sanitation entrepreneurs purchase cleaning vehicles.
- Since waste pickers were added as a target group, over 3.78 lakh waste pickers have been enumerated, with around 1.31 lakh receiving PPE kits and large numbers processed for Ayushman Cards.
- In 2025–26 the ceiling for capital subsidy under the Swachhata Udyami Yojana was raised to ₹7.5 lakh for individual projects and ₹25 lakh for group projects. A new component provides a 25 percent subsidy to private sanitation service organisations for mechanised equipment.
Source: PIB
