NAMASTE Program
Context:
In a first-of-its-kind effort to count individuals involved in the hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks in India’s urban areas, government data reveals that 91.9% of the 38,000 workers profiled thus far belong to Scheduled Caste (SC)-68.9%, Scheduled Tribe (ST)-8.3% ST, or Other Backward Class (OBC) communities-14.7% OBC.
More on News:
- The profiling of sewer and septic tank workers (SSWs) is part of the NAMASTE program.
- Between 2019 and 2023, at least 377 people across India have died due to hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning, according to data presented in Parliament.
About NAMASTE Program:
It stands for National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem, is a significant initiative launched by the Government of India to ensure the safety and dignity of sanitation workers, particularly those engaged in hazardous cleaning operations. It will be implemented across more than 4,800 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India over a period from 2022 to 2026, with an outlay of approximately ₹360 crore.
Objectives:
- Safety and Dignity: The primary aim is to protect the safety and dignity of sanitation workers in urban areas by mechanising sanitation processes and providing them with necessary training and equipment.
- It seeks to provide safety training, equipment, and capital subsidies to help these workers become “sanipreneurs” (sanitation entrepreneurs).
- Sustainable Livelihood: The program seeks to provide sustainable livelihoods for sanitation workers, enabling them to transition from manual scavenging to safer, mechanised jobs.
The Bandicoot robot is a groundbreaking innovation developed by GenRobotics, aimed at eradicating manual scavenging in India. This robotic solution is designed to clean manholes and sewage systems without putting human workers at risk.
Key Components:
- Identification and Enumeration: The program focuses on identifying Sewer/Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) who are involved in hazardous cleaning operations. This identification process will help create a database for targeted support.
- Occupational Safety Training: Sanitation workers will receive training on occupational safety and be provided with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits to ensure their health and safety while performing their duties.
- Financial Support: The program includes capital subsidies for purchasing sanitation machinery, with financial assistance structured to promote mechanisation. For instance:
- Up to ₹5 lakh in capital subsidies for sanitation machinery costing up to ₹15 lakh.
- Interest subsidies on loans taken for acquiring sanitation-related equipment.
- Health Insurance: Beneficiaries will be covered under the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), providing them and their families with health insurance benefits.
- Awareness Campaigns: Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns will be conducted to change public perceptions about sanitation workers and promote safe sanitation practices.
Other Key Initiatives
Article 17 of the Constitution: It explicitly abolishes untouchability and prohibits its practice in any form. This provision is crucial in combating the caste-based discrimination that underlies manual scavenging.
The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013: Outlaws manual scavenging and provides for the rehabilitation of affected workers. The amendment in 2020 proposes complete mechanisation of sewer cleaning and compensation for manual scavengers in case of accidents.
Supreme Court Rulings: In 2014, the Supreme Court mandated the identification of families of workers who died while cleaning sewers since 1993, ensuring they receive compensation of ₹10 lakh each.
Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM): Initiated in 2014, this mission aims to make India Open Defecation Free (ODF) by promoting sanitation and hygiene. By 2019, over 100 million individual household toilets were constructed, and more than 600,000 villages were declared ODF.
National Urban Sanitation Policy (NUSP): Aims for all Indian cities to achieve total sanitation and ensure public health and environmental sustainability.
Nirmal Gram Puraskar (NGP): Recognises Gram Panchayats that achieve full sanitation coverage.
India Sanitation Coalition (ISC): Facilitates sustainable WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) practices through partnerships between government and private sectors.
The NAMASTE program aligns with broader goals such as improving public health, enhancing environmental sustainability, and contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6): Clean Water and Sanitation, which aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.