NAMASTE Scheme Launched

Table of Contents

FYI

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) has launched a scheme called NAMASTE. (National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem)
NAMASTE is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) will be a joint initiative of the MoSJE and MoHUA.
NAMASTE envisages the safety and dignity of sanitation workers in urban India by creating an enabling ecosystem.
The Scheme has been approved for four years from 2022-23 to 2025-26 with an allocation of 360 cr.
Objectives of NAMASTE:
- Zero fatalities in sanitation work in India
- Skilled workers perform all sanitation work
- No sanitation workers come in direct contact with human fecal matter
- Collectivization into SHGs and are empowerment to run sanitation enterprises
- Access to alternative livelihoods
- Strengthened supervisory and monitoring systems at national, state, and ULB
- Increased awareness about sanitation services
Implementation
- 500 AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) cities will be part of the National Action Plan for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) in this phase.
- NAMASTE will streamline the process of rehabilitating sanitation workers and eventually merge with and replace the Self-Employment Scheme for the Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS).

Enumeration of Sewer/Septic Tank Workers (SSWs)
Insurance Scheme Benefits to SSWs
Livelihood Assistance to SSWs
- SSWs will be linked to Swachhta Udyami Yojana
- Capital subsidies of up to ₹5 lakh on sanitation machinery costing up to ₹15 lakh
- Interest subsidies on loans, where interest rates will be capped between 4-6%
- Training the workers in the use of machines plus 3000 stipend
Convergence with other Social Security Schemes’ benefits