National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJ&E) is preparing to undertake a nationwide survey to enumerate all people engaged in hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.

• The enumeration exercise is part of the Union government’s National Action Plan for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE).

About NAMASTE: It is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) as a joint initiative of the MoSJE and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) that envisages safety and dignity of sanitation workers.

• Outlay & Period of the Scheme: The scheme comes with an outlay of Rs. 360 crore for four years from 2022-23 to 2025-26.
• Implementing Agency: National Safai Karamchari Financial Development Corporation (NSKFDC) would be implementing agency for NAMASTE.

Goals: Zero fatalities in sanitation work in India

• All sanitation work is performed by skilled workers
• No sanitation workers come in direct contact with human faecal matter
• Sanitation workers are collectivized into SHGs and are empowered to run sanitation enterprises
• All Sewer and Septic tank sanitation workers (SSWs) have access to alternative livelihoods

Impact: Ensuring Safety and Development: It will reduce the vulnerabilities of sanitation workers by providing sustainable livelihood and enhancing their occupational safety through capacity building and improved access to safety gear and machines.

• Behavioral Change: It will bring out a behavioral change amongst the citizens towards the sanitation workers and enhance the demand for safe sanitation services.