**Executive Summary**
The document is a response to questions posed to the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment regarding the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme. The scheme, launched in 2023-24, aims to ensure the safety and dignity of sanitation workers. The response details the scheme's objectives, implementation status across states, and related activities. The response includes details on activities conducted in Rajasthan, Dumka (Jharkhand), Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), and Jabalpur.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **NAMASTE Scheme Objectives:**
* Eliminate fatalities in sanitation work.
* Ensure all sanitation work is performed by skilled workers.
* Prevent direct contact with human waste.
* Increase awareness among sanitation service seekers.
* Strengthen Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs).
* Empower sanitation workers to run sanitation enterprises and promote mechanization.
* **Implementation Details:**
* Launched by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment in convergence with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
* Includes distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and Ayushman Bharat cards.
* Activities in Dumka, Jharkhand include validation of sanitation workers, coverage under Ayushman Bharat, and workshops on hazardous cleaning.
* Steps taken for mechanization, safety, and social security include provision of safety devices to ERSUs, capital subsidies, PPE kits, occupational training, and workshops.
* Awareness activities include audio announcements, posters, newspaper advertisements, wall paintings, and stickers on vehicles.
* Implementation status in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh includes worker surveys, coverage under health schemes, and distribution of PPE kits and safety devices.
* Implementation status in Jabalpur includes worker surveys, coverage under health schemes, and distribution of PPE kits and safety devices.
* **State-wise Status (as of December 2, 2025):**
* Data provided in an annexure detailing validated sanitation workers, PPE kits delivered, safety devices dispatched to ERSUs, and health cards generated for each state.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Sanitation Workers (Safai Karmacharis)**
* **Impact**: Improved safety, dignity, social and economic empowerment through mechanization, training, PPE provision, and health coverage. Reduced direct contact with human waste.
* **Action Required**: Participate in training programs, utilize PPE, and seek services from Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs) when needed.
**Stakeholder: Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)**
* **Impact**: Responsible for implementing the NAMASTE scheme and ensuring its success. Requires strengthening and capacitating Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs) for safe mechanized sanitation services.
* **Action Required**: Implement the NAMASTE scheme, organize awareness programs, and facilitate access to services for sanitation workers.
**Stakeholder: Citizens**
* **Impact**: Improved sanitation services performed by skilled workers and increased awareness of the importance of using registered and skilled sanitation service providers.
* **Action Required**: Seek services from registered and skilled sanitation workers.
Key Entities Referenced
NAMASTE Scheme: National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme aims to ensure safety and dignity of Safai Karmacharis and empower them socially and economically.
Department of Social Justice and Empowerment: The department responsible for launching and implementing the NAMASTE Scheme.
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs: The ministry involved in the convergence of the NAMASTE scheme.
Rajasthan: The state mentioned as a focus area for the activities under the NAMASTE scheme.
Jharkhand: The state mentioned as a focus area for the activities under the NAMASTE scheme.
GOYERNMENT OF INDIA
MIMSTRY OT'SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
LOKSABHA
TJNSTARRED QUESTION NO.265
TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.12.2025
NAMASTESCHEME
1265. MS KANGNA RANAUT:
SMT. KAMLESH JANGDE:
SMT. MAHIMA KUMARI MEWAR:
SHRI DII\ESHBHAI MAKWANA:
SHRI P P CHAUDHARY:
SHRI ARUN GOYIL:
DRMANNALALRAWAT:
SMT. SIIOBHANABEN MAIIENDRASIITTH BARAIYA:
SHRI LUMBARAM CHOUDHARY:
SHRI YIJAY KUMAR DUBEY:
SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:
SHRI DAMODAR AGRAWAL:
SMT. ANITA NAGARSINGH CHOI]HAN:
SHRI ASIIISII DUBEY:
SHRI NALIN SOREN:
will the Minister of socIAL JUSTICE AI\D EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:
(a) the objectives and key components of the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation
Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme;
(b) the number of sewer and septic tank workers profiled and the extent of distribution ofPPE
kits and Ayushman cards so far, State-wise particularly in Rajasthan and Dumka of
Jharhhand;
(c) the steps taken to ensure mechanization, safety, and social security for sanitation workers
in the country, state-wise, particularly in Rajasthan, chhattisgarh and Meerut district of uttar
Pradesh;
(d) whether any awareness and outreach activities have been organized under the said scheme;
(e) if so, the details thereof, with specific reference to activities conducted in Rajasthan; and
(f) whether the said Scheme has been implemented in Jabalpur also, if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MIMSTEROF STATE FORSOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE)
(a): Department of social Justice and Empowerment in convergence with Ministry of
Housing and Urban Atrairs has launched the 'National Action for Mechanised Sanitation
Ecosystem (NAMASTE)" Scheme n2023-24 for its implementation in all Urban LocalBodies (ULBs) of the country. The objective is to ensure safety and digrrity of Safai
IGrmacharis and to empower them socially and economically. The aim of the scheme is to
achieve the following:-
.
Zero fatalities in sanitation work in India
.
All sanitation work to be performed by skilled workers
.
No sanitation workers come in direct contact with human faecal matter
. Increase awaneness amongst sanitation services seekers (individuals and institutions)
to seek services from registered and skilled sanitation workers
. Strengthening and capacitating Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs) to
ensure safe delivery of mechanized sanitation services.
. Empowering of Sanitation workers to run sanitation enterprises and promote
mechanization of cleaning operation through availability of machines'
(b): State-wise details of validated Sewer and Septic Tank Workers, distribution of Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and Ayushman cards generated including Rajasthan and
Jharkhand is at Annexure.
The following activities have been conducted in Dumka district of Jharlhand:-
i.
15 SSWs have been validated.
ii. 07 ssw beneficiaries covered under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya
Yojan4 State Health scheme and NAMASTE scheme'
iii. 15 PPE kits for SSWs and 0l safety Devices Kit for Emergency Response Sanitation
Units dispatched.
iv. 2 workshops conducted on Prevention of Hazardous cleaning of sewer and Septic
Tanks.
(c): The following steps have been taken for mechanization, safety and social security to
sanitation workers under NAMASTE schemei
i. Safety devices to Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs)'
ii. Upfront Capital Subsiay to sanitation workers and Private Sanitation Service
Operators for procurement of sanitation related machinery'
iii. PPE Kits to Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs)'
iv. Occupational training to SSWs.
v'Workshopsonpreventionofhazardouscleaningofsewerandseptictanks.
vi.CoverageunderAyushmanBharat.PradhanMantriJanArogyaYojna(AB-PMJAY),
States Health scheme and NAMASTE scherne'
state-wisestatusofsafetydevicestoERSU,PPEKits,AB-PMJAYareatAnnexure.
status of NAMASTE scheme in Meerut district of uttar Pradesh is as underi
l. 443 SSWs surveYed.
34TbeneficiariescoveredunderAyushmanBharat.PMJAY,stateHealthschemeand
11.
NAMASTE scheme.
iii. 439 PPE kits for SSWs and 0l Safety Devices Kit for Emergency Response
Sanitation Unit disPatched.
-t-(d): Information, Education and Communic.ation (IEC) collaterals, including films'
posters, banners, brochures, audio announcements, wall painting designs and news paper
advertisements have been used for awareness and outreach.
1,188 dedicated workshops on the prevention of hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic
tanks have been conducted across States/UlBs.
(e): The following awar€ness and outreach activities have been undertaken in Rajasthan,
under the schemei
. Audio announcements in Hindi across major public areas to inform citizens about
scheme benefits and processes.
. Posters and banners have been displayed at prominent public locations, including
ULB offices, to enhance visibility ofkey messages.
.
UlB-level newspaper advertisements have been issued to disseminate scheme-related
updates,
. Wall paintings in community areas have been undertaken to ensure sustained public
awareness,
. Additionally, stickers have been placed on vehicles used by field teams and Urban
Lochl Bodies staffto facilitate mobile publicity and strengthen last-mile outreach.
of
(e): NAMASTE scheme has been implemented in Jabalpur. The implementation status
the NAMASTE scheme in Jabalpur is as underi
i.
252 SSWs have been surveYed.
ii. 189 beneficiaries covered under Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY, State Health scheme and
NAMASTE scheme.
iii. 250 PPE kits for SSWs and I Safety Devices Kit for Emergency Response Sanitation
Units issued.
iv. 0l workshops conducted on Prevention of Hazardous Cleaning of Sewer and Septic
Tanks.
-7-Annexure
.
Annexure referred in reply to parts (b) and (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.
255 for answer on 02.12.2025 regarding NAMASTE scheme.
State'wise status of NAMASTE scheme
SAFETY
Sr. Validated PPE Kits DEVICES Health Card
State
No. SSWs Delivered Dispatched TO Generated
ERSU
I Andaman & Nicobar
Islands 60 60 J 60
2 Andhra Pradesh 40t7 4005 26 3647
J Arunachal Pradesh 86 86 2 63
4 Assam 462 462 3l 366
5 Bihar 3462 3461 22 2827
6 Chandigarh 253 252 I 235
7 Chhattisgarh t46s 1465 38 1292
8 Dadra & Nagar
n6
Flaveli 116 3 98
9 Delhi 3649 3626 1l 3559
10 Goa 25t 250 2 216
1l Gujarat 7633 7345 32 3539
2l8l
t2 Haryana 2677 2667 22
l3 Himachal Pradesh 428 418 4 329
l4 Jammu & Kashmir 720 7t9 20 572
l5 Jharkhand 11 l5 tt20 24 847
t6 Kamataka 6308 6300 42 5403
t7 Kerala 1797 t76t t4 1595
t8 Ladakh 2t 2t 2 t7
l9 Lakshadweep 86 86 0 8l
20 Madhya Pradeslr 3398 3423 55 2524
2t Maharashtra 8600 7973 45 5316
22 Manipur 185 185 6 169
23 Meghalaya 108 r08 9 95
24 Mizoram 143 140 I 99
25 Nagaland 105 105 4 8l
26 Odisha t294 0 16 1294
27 Puducherry 243 243 2 231
28 Puniab 4463 M07 23 3842
29 Raiasthan 4037 4021 36 2098
30 Sikkim 107 107 5 106
3l TamilNadu 6981 6981 0 698r
32 Telangana 3796 3807 37 2973
33 Tripura 352 352 8 323
34 Uttar Pradesh 12418 11414 75 9757
35 Uttarakhand 638 629 6 s04
36 West Bengal 7630 7628 26 7630
Total 89104 85743 6s3 70950
*:fl:}{'
-'
-L,