Copyright infringement not intended

Picture Courtesy: PIB 

Context:

The Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment (SJ&E) distributed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and Ayushman health cards to Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) (Safai Mitras), under the NAMASTE Scheme.

About National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme

It is an initiative by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to eliminate manual scavenging, enhance the safety of sanitation workers, and promote their socio-economic upliftment.

It was launched in 2023-24 with a budget of ₹349.70 crore, the scheme aims to cover all 4,800+ Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) by 2025-26, replacing the earlier Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS).

Objectives of NAMASTE

Ensure zero deaths during sanitation operations by promoting mechanized cleaning and safety protocols.

Transition to mechanized sanitation methods to abolish the dehumanizing practice of manual scavenging.

Integrate sanitation workers into the formal economy through skill development, certifications, and employment opportunities.

Provide capital subsidies and training to turn sanitation workers into "sanipreneurs" (entrepreneurs) and offer alternative livelihoods.

Extend health insurance (Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY) and personal protective equipment (PPE) to safeguard workers’ health.

Key Components of the Scheme

Profiling of Sewer/Septic Tank Workers (SSWs):

• Comprehensive data collection on Sewer/Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) socio-economic backgrounds and working conditions.
• As of September 2024, 3,326 ULBs profiled ~38,000 SSWs, with 12 states (e.g., Kerala, Rajasthan) completing the process.

Safety and Health Interventions:

• PPE Distribution: Over 16,791 PPE kits (masks, gloves, goggles, etc.) distributed to enhance worker safety.
• Health Insurance: Ayushman Bharat cards provided to workers and their families, with 13,604 beneficiaries as of December 2024.

Financial Support:

• Capital Subsidies: ₹13.96 crore disbursed to 503 beneficiaries for sanitation equipment (e.g., desludging vehicles).
• Livelihood Grants: ₹2.85 crore allocated to 226 workers for alternative self-employment.

Mechanization and Infrastructure:

• ₹371 crore sanctioned for 2,585 desludging vehicles under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 to reduce manual intervention.
• Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs) equipped with modern tools to handle sanitation emergencies.

Capacity Building:

• Training programs on safe sanitation practices and mechanized equipment for over 837 municipal workers.
• Awareness campaigns to promote mechanized sanitation and citizen responsibility.

Challenges in Abolishing Manual Scavenging

Dalits are historically forced into manual scavenging due to caste hierarchies and the jajmani system, which perpetuates inherited occupations.

Social stigma and economic exclusion limit access to education, healthcare, and alternative jobs, trapping communities in cycles of poverty.

Laws like the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act (2013) are poorly implemented, with low conviction rates.

Poor wastewater management infrastructure forces reliance on manual cleaning.

Many ULBs underreport SSW numbers, hindering targeted interventions. Workers face threats and violence when attempting to leave the occupation.

Way Forward

Integrate NAMASTE with programs like MNREGA to provide alternative employment opportunities.

Establish a national committee involving MoSJE, MoHUA, and NGOs to enforce laws at the grassroots level.

Mandate the Indian Railways to adopt bio-toilets and report progress to Parliament.

Form a monitoring committee to oversee NAMASTE implementation and conduct social audits.

Strengthen legal frameworks to ensure consistency and accountability for violations.

Allocate funds for advanced cleaning technologies to reduce manual intervention.

Must Read Articles: 

NAMASTE SCHEME 

Source: 

PIB