The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will hold the SafaiMitra Suraksha Evam Samman Shivir on 30 September 2026 as part of the Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign. The event aims to recognise sanitation workers, provide them with health screenings and safety equipment, and connect them to government welfare programmes. Urban and rural local bodies across the country will participate in both physical and virtual formats.
Key facts
- Event date: 30 September 2026
- Location: Kedarnath Sahni Auditorium, Dr S.P.M. Civic Centre, New Delhi (physical event)
- Mode: Hybrid (in-person and virtual participation from local bodies nationwide)
- Chief Guest: Rekha Gupta, Chief Minister of Delhi
- Union ministers present: Dr Virendra Kumar (Social Justice and Empowerment), Shri B.L. Verma (Minister of State, Social Justice and Empowerment)
- Campaign theme: Swachhata Mein Sahbhag, Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat (Participation in cleanliness for a clean and developed India)
- Shivir theme: Samman Safai Mitron Ka, Sankalp Swachh Bharat Ka (Honour for sanitation workers, commitment to Clean India)
What the event will offer
The Shivir functions as a single-window platform where sanitation workers and their families can access multiple support services. Urban and rural local bodies will conduct preventive health check-ups and screening services for participating SafaiMitras and their dependents. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and safety devices will be distributed and demonstrated to workers.
A documentary on the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme will be screened. This film will explain the scheme’s objectives and highlight efforts to ensure safety, dignity and social security for sanitation workers, while promoting mechanised sanitation practices.
Welfare scheme access and NAMASTE ID cards
A key component of the Shivir is facilitating distribution of NAMASTE ID Cards to validated waste pickers. The event will help eligible sanitation workers and their families access welfare and social protection schemes run by the Central and State governments.
These programmes cover housing, water connections, sanitation facilities, electricity, cooking gas, health insurance, life and accident insurance, immunisation, financial inclusion and livelihood support, subject to eligibility criteria.
The specific schemes made accessible through this event include the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (housing), AMRUT (water and sanitation), Jal Jeevan Mission (water supply), Swachh Bharat Mission, Saubhagya (electricity), PM Ujjwala Yojana (LPG), Ayushman Bharat / PM-JAY (health insurance), PM Suraksha Bima Yojana (accident insurance), PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (life insurance), Mission Indradhanush (immunisation), Swachhata Udyami Yojana (livelihood) and PM Jan Dhan Yojana (financial inclusion).
Recognition and participation
The Shivir will include formal felicitation and recognition of sanitation workers for their contributions to public health, cleanliness and community well-being. SafaiMitras will participate not only in the national event in Delhi but also in local activities organised by their respective local bodies across the country.
Drug-free India pledge
Participants will take the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) pledge during the event, affirming their commitment to creating a drug-free society and spreading awareness about the dangers of substance abuse. This aligns the Shivir with the government’s broader social responsibility agenda.
What this means for sanitation workers
For sanitation workers and their families, this event provides a direct opportunity to access multiple government benefits without visiting different offices. The combination of health services, safety equipment distribution and welfare scheme registration in one location simplifies processes that would otherwise require separate applications and visits. Recognition of their work also addresses issues of dignity and social status that sanitation workers often face.