The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has stepped up efforts to ensure greater safety, welfare and dignity for sanitation workers by strengthening worker identification, providing protective gear, extending health insurance benefits, offering financial assistance and improving sanitation-related safety infrastructure.
Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri Sudhansh Pant said that 90,942 sewer and septic tank workers have been profiled so far, with 89,248 profiles successfully validated. He stated that 87,037 workers have been provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits, while 76,247 have been covered under different health insurance schemes, helping improve their access to healthcare and protection against occupational risks.
Highlighting the financial assistance being provided to workers, Shri Pant said an upfront capital subsidy of Rs 34.17 crore has been disbursed to 983 sanitation workers for purchasing 364 sanitation vehicles. The assistance is aimed at encouraging mechanised sanitation practices and providing workers with better livelihood opportunities.
He further said that 753 safety devices have been dispatched to Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs) functioning in larger municipal corporations and districts as part of efforts to strengthen emergency sanitation and safety infrastructure.
The Secretary also informed that 1,562 workshops have been organised across the country to promote awareness about the dangers of hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks and to encourage safer sanitation practices.
The scope of the Scheme was widened in June 2024 to bring waste pickers involved in solid waste management in both urban and rural areas within its ambit. This expansion has enabled the extension of welfare and occupational safety measures to waste pickers as well.
Shri Pant said that 3,78,547 waste pickers have been profiled, of whom 2,52,163 have been validated through e-KYC. He added that approximately 1,31,864 waste pickers have been provided PPE kits, while the information of 1,24,835 waste pickers has been processed for the generation of Ayushman Cards.
Shri Pant expressed confidence that the initiatives undertaken by the Ministry will contribute to safer working environments, better access to welfare schemes and improved dignity for workers engaged in sanitation and solid waste management.
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