New Delhi
Nearly 91,000 sewer and septic tank workers have been profiled and validated under an initiative aimed at improving dignity, safety and welfare for sanitation workers, Union Social Justice and Empowerment Secretary Sudhansh Pant said.
According to a statement issued on Sunday, 90,942 sewer and septic tank workers have been profiled, of whom 89,248 have been validated. Pant said 87,037 sanitation workers have received Personal Protective Equipment kits, while 76,247 have been covered under health insurance schemes.
The initiative has expanded its focus to waste pickers engaged in waste management. Pant said 3,78,547 waste pickers have been profiled, with 2,52,163 validated through e-KYC. Around 1,31,864 waste pickers have received PPE kits, while the data of 1,24,835 workers has been processed for generation of Ayushman Cards.
Financial assistance is also being provided to strengthen mechanised sanitation and create livelihood opportunities. An upfront capital subsidy of Rs 34.17 crore has been released to 983 sanitation workers for procurement of 364 sanitation vehicles, Pant said.
To strengthen emergency safety infrastructure, 753 safety devices have been dispatched to Emergency Response Sanitation Units established in major municipal corporations and districts.
Alongside welfare measures, the government has conducted 1,562 workshops across the country on preventing hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.
The scheme’s coverage was expanded in June 2024 to include waste pickers engaged in waste management in urban and rural areas. The measures are intended to support safer working conditions, improve access to healthcare and strengthen livelihoods among workers involved in sanitation and waste management.
