New Delhi, 13 September (H.S.): The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has provided personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to 87,037 sewer and septic tank cleaning workers so far, as part of its efforts to ensure the safety, welfare and dignity of sanitation workers and waste pickers. The ministry has also released Rs 34.17 crore in capital subsidies for the purchase of sanitation vehicles to promote the mechanisation of sanitation operations.

Union Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry Secretary Sudhanshu Pant said on Sunday that a total of 90,942 sewer and septic tank workers have been profiled across the country so far, of whom 89,248 have been verified. PPE kits have been distributed to 87,037 workers, while 76,247 workers have been brought under various health insurance schemes, enabling them to benefit from safer working conditions and health protection.

Pant said the government was providing financial assistance to Safai Mitras to purchase sanitation vehicles with the objective of eliminating hazardous manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks and promoting mechanised cleaning.

Under the initiative, an advance capital subsidy of Rs 34.17 crore has been released to 983 sanitation workers for the purchase of 364 sanitation vehicles. The financial assistance not only enables workers to undertake machine-based sanitation operations but also creates new opportunities for dignified livelihoods.

He said 753 advanced safety equipment units had been supplied to Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs) established in major municipal corporations and districts with the aim of further strengthening the safety infrastructure.

Along with financial and welfare assistance, 1,562 workshops and awareness camps have been organised across the country to prevent hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks and to raise awareness about safe sanitation practices.

Pant said the scope of the scheme was expanded in June 2024 to include waste pickers engaged in solid waste management in both urban and rural areas.

Under this expansion, a total of 3,78,547 waste pickers have been profiled so far, of whom 2,52,163 have been verified through e-KYC.

He said around 1,31,864 waste pickers had been provided with PPE kits, while the data of 1,24,835 workers was under process for the issuance of Ayushman cards.

These comprehensive initiatives are expected to strengthen workplace safety for workers engaged in sanitation and solid waste management while contributing to an improvement in their overall living standards.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar