The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has announced a series of measures aimed at protecting and supporting sanitation workers across India. The initiative covers sewer and septic tank cleaners as well as waste pickers, providing them with safety equipment, financial aid and health coverage.
What has been provided
According to the ministry, over 90,000 sewer and septic tank workers have been registered under the scheme, with nearly 89,250 verified. Among these, 87,037 workers have received Personal Protective Equipment kits to help them work safely.
The government has also released Rs 34.17 crore as upfront capital subsidy to 983 workers to buy 364 sanitation vehicles, helping them operate mechanised collection services and earn better livelihoods.
Health protection has been extended to 76,247 workers through various health insurance schemes. Additionally, 753 safety devices have been sent to Emergency Response Sanitation Units set up in larger cities and districts across the country. The ministry has conducted 1,562 workshops teaching safe methods for cleaning sewers and septic tanks.
Since June 2024, the scheme was expanded to include waste pickers. Nearly 3.79 lakh waste pickers have been registered, with over 2.52 lakh verified through digital identity checks. Around 1.32 lakh waste pickers have been given PPE kits, and the details of over 1.24 lakh waste pickers have been processed to generate health cards under the Ayushman scheme.
What this means for you
If you work as a sewer cleaner, septic tank worker or waste picker, you can now register with the government to receive protective equipment and health insurance. This registration also makes you eligible to apply for financial help to buy vehicles or equipment for your work. The safety training being offered through workshops can reduce serious injuries and illnesses on the job. For the first time, waste pickers—a group largely invisible in government records—now have official recognition and access to the same welfare benefits as sewer workers.