The Namaste Scheme

Context: The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment announced major progress under the NAMASTE Scheme, highlighting large-scale profiling, PPE distribution, health insurance coverage, and financial assistance for sanitation workers. About The Namaste Scheme: What it is? The National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme is a central sector scheme aimed at eliminating hazardous …

Waste-pickers enumeration under NAMASTE scheme

Context: The Union government released nationwide enumeration data of waste-pickers for the first time under the NAMASTE scheme. The data revealed that 84.5% of waste-pickers belong to SC, ST and OBC communities, highlighting deep social stratification in informal urban labour. About Waste-pickers enumeration under NAMASTE scheme: Key trends: Total waste-pickers enumerated: 52 lakh across 35 …

Manual Scavenging and Trends

Context: A recent social audit by the Ministry of Social Justice revealed that over 90% of workers who died cleaning sewers in 2022–23 lacked any safety gear, raising serious concerns about implementation of safety norms despite the ban on manual scavenging. About Manual Scavenging and Trends: Manual scavenging refers to the manual cleaning, carrying, or …

Waste Picker Enumeration App

Source:  PIB Context: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched a Nationwide Waste Picker Enumeration App under the NAMASTE scheme to formalize, empower, and provide social security to waste pickers. About the Waste Picker Enumeration App: What is it? A digital platform to enumerate, identify, and support waste pickers through social security and livelihood-based …

Manual Scavenging

Syllabus: Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections Source:  NIE  Context: The Supreme Court has ordered a complete stop to the practice of manual scavenging and hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks in six major metropolitan cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.  About manual scavenging and its recent data in India: Definition: Manual scavenging refers to the manual removal of …

The problem of manual scavenging in India

GS Paper 2  Syllabus: Mechanisms, Laws, Institutions and Bodies constituted for the Protection and Betterment of Vulnerable Sections   Source: TH  Context: According to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), all unsanitary latrines had been made sanitary under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and the problem of manual scavenging is eliminated.    The practice …