NAMASTE: NAMASTE (National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem) 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).

Key highlights:

• The Scheme has been approved with an outlay of Rs. 360 crore for 4 years from 2022-23 to 2025-26.
• National Safai Karamchari Financial Development Corporation (NSKFDC) would be implementing agency for NAMASTE.
• Under this phase of NAMASTE, 500 cities (converging with AMRUT cities) will be taken up.

The category of cities that will be eligible are as follows:

1. All Cities and Towns with a population of over one lakh with notified Municipalities, including Cantonment Boards (Civilian areas),
2. All Capital Cities/Towns of States/ Union Territories (UTs), not covered in 4(i),
3. Ten Cities from hill states, islands and tourist destinations (not more than one from each State).

• NAMASTE plans on identifying the Sewer/Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) with a emphasis on informal workforce who are engaged in hazardous cleaning tasks.
• With the use of the database, MoSJE, NSKFDC, and MoHUA (including DAY-NULM, SBM 2.0, and AMRUT) will be able to connect with SSWs and their families and offer them the support they need for collectivization, skill development, and connecting with social and financial bebefits.
• The Survey would be conducted in digital mode in a pre-approved format by the City NAMASTE Managers and validated by the relevant Urban Local Body (ULB).
• The Ayushyaman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)  will provide a safety net to designated SSWs and their families.
• The premium for AB-PMJAY for those identified SSWs families who are not covered earlier shall be borne under NAMASTE.
• The designated sanitation workers and their families will be given full access to all social security programmes being run by local departments, such as:

1. Food Security (Ration)
2. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
3. Scholarship Schemes at pre-matric and post matric level
4. Enrolment of out of school, school-going-age children
5. Atal Pension Yojana
6. Pension Schemes for older persons, widows, orphan, physically challenged etc.
7. Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana(PM-SBY)
8. Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PM-JJBY)
9. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana
10. Allotment of free land/plots
11. Anganwari

Objective of NAMASTE:

The key objectives of NAMASTE are to achieve the following outcomes:

• 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
• Strengthened supervisory and monitoring systems at national, state and ULB levels to ensure enforcement and monitoring of safe sanitation work
• Increased awareness amongst sanitation services seekers (individuals and institutions) to seek services from registered and skilled sanitation workers