National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) is a Central Sector Scheme (CSS) of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
- NAMASTE envisions sanitation workers’ safety and dignity in urban India by developing an enabling ecosystem that honours sanitation workforce as major contributors to sanitation infrastructure operation and maintenance.
- As a result, it provides a stable source of income and improves occupational safety by increasing access to safety gear and machines.
Potential Impacts
i. NAMASTE will strive to lessen vulnerabilities of sanitation workers by giving access to alternative livelihood assistance and entitlements.
- It will give them access to self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities, breaking the cycle of sanitation work.
ii.NAMASTE would also influence how citizens behave toward sanitation workers and increase demand for secure sanitation services.
Highlights
i. This phase of NAMASTE will focus on 500 cities that will converge with Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) cities. The cities that will be eligible are listed below:
- All Cities and Towns with a population of over one lakh with notified Municipalities, including Cantonment Boards (Civilian areas),
- All Capital Cities/Towns of States/ Union Territories (UTs), not covered in 4(i),
- Ten Cities from hill states, islands and tourist destinations (not more than one from each State).
ii.NAMASTE intends to identify Sewer/Septic Tank Workers (SSWs), with an emphasis on the informal workforce, which performs hazardous cleaning activities.
iii. By utilizing the database, MoSJE, National Safai Karamchari Financial Development Corporation (NSKFDC), and MoHUA would be able to connect with SSWs and their families and offer them the assistance they require for collectivization, skill development, and connecting with social financial benefits.
- Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), Swachh Bharat Mission Urban (SBM) 2.0, and AMRUT are among the MoHUA programmes that are covered.
- The survey would be carried out digitally in a pre-approved format by City NAMASTE Managers and verified by the relevant Urban Local Body (ULB).
iv.The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) will provide a safety net to recognized SSWs and their families.
v.The designated sanitation workers and their families will be eligible for all social security schemes being implemented by various departments in various areas, such as:
- Food Security (Ration)
- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)
- Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana(PM-SBY)
- Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PM-JJBY) etc.,
Click Here to Know More About The NAMASTE Scheme’s Background, Intended Outcomes, Etc.
Recent Related News:
In June 2022, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri launched project NIPUN (National Initiative for Promoting Upskilling of Nirman workers), an initiative of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) under the flagship scheme of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM).
About Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA):
Union Minister – Hardeep Singh Puri (Rajya Sabha– Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of State (MoS) – Kaushal Kishore
