NAMASTE

National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme, a Central Sector Scheme for welfare of Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) and having the components of erstwhile ‘Self Employment for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (MS), has been launched in 2023- 24. Waste Pickers have been added as target group under the scheme from the F.Y. 2024-25.
The scheme envisages safety and dignity of Sewer and Septic Tank Workers and waste pickers have access to dignified livelihoods and are integrated in the Solid Waste Management
The goals of the NAMASTE Scheme are follows for Septic Tank and Sewer Cleaning Workers (SSW):-
1. To ensure the safety and dignity of sanitation workers in urban India by creating an enabling ecosystem that recognizes sanitation workers as one of the key contributors to the operations and maintenance of sanitation infrastructure.
2. To promote mechanized cleaning of sewer lines and septic tanks to curb hazardous cleaning and ensure zero sanitation deaths.
3. To provide access to entitlements, and alternative livelihoods support through providing capital subsidy for procurement of sanitation related project under Swachchhta Udyami Yojana (SUY) scheme to reduce the vulnerabilities of sanitation workers and break the intergenerationality in sanitation work.

Waste Picker Component
1. Recognizing and strengthening their contribution in waste collection,recovery & recycling.
2. Providing them recognition, improved access to finance and relevant technologies along with safe & sustainable work environment and.
3. Linking them with the social security and welfare schemes – Provision of health insurance under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana (AB-PMJAY).
4. Providing safe, dignified and sustainable livelihoods by empowering them through various schematic and non-schematic interventions

The primary target group of the NAMASTE Scheme in liquid waste management includes
Sewer and Septic Tank Sanitation Workers (SSWs) directly engaged in:
1. Emptying of Septic Tanks
2. Sewerage Network Cleaning

Workers engaged by:

Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)
Parastatal agencies
Private Sanitation Service Organizations (PSSOs)
Private contractors

Waste Picker Component

Informal Waste Pickers working at streets, door to door, transfer stations, open dumpsites, landfill sites, waste disposal sites, material recovery facilities, waste recovery & recycling, repair facilities etc. and itinerant waste buyers.
Informal Waste sorters working at waste processing/waste recycling facilities.
Informal workers/sorters engaged in this activity for a minimum period of 6 months.

Guidelines of NAMASTE in Hindi Language

S.No.	Particular	Link
1	NAMASTE scheme portal	https://namastescheme.com/
2	User Manual for NAMASTE	https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xUiURcRsVNProc2enOA8D-JN1uv8IH2g/view?usp=sharing
3	Guidlines of NAMASTE	Guidelines of NAMASTE Revised Guidlines of NAMASTE SSW Forwarding letter to Principal Secretaries
4	Presentation of NAMASTE Scheme	Presentation of NAMASTE Scheme
5	SOP for NAMASTE	SOP for NAMASTE
6	SOP of NAMASTE Waste picker scheme	Scheme Guidelines for inclusion of Waste Pickers Component under NAMASTE (APPLICABLE FROM THE YEAR 2024-25) Revised Guidlines of NAMASTE Waste Picker