NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale inaugurated the distribution of NAMASTE Cards to waste pickers in the MCD Najafgarh Zone at an event held at the MCD Community Hall in Matiala, New Delhi.

The initiative is part of the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme, which seeks to improve the safety, dignity and socio-economic well-being of sanitation workers, including waste pickers, sewer workers and septic tank workers.

More than 300 waste pickers from the Najafgarh Zone participated in the programme. Along with NAMASTE Cards, Ayushman Cards were also distributed to waste pickers, providing them access to healthcare-related benefits.

Addressing the gathering, Minister Ramdas Athawale appreciated the contribution of waste pickers to maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in cities. He described their work as an important part of India's sanitation and public-health efforts and assured them of the government's continued support for improving their working conditions and access to welfare schemes.

The NAMASTE scheme is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It focuses on the formal recognition of sanitation workers, occupational safety, healthcare, social security, skill development and the mechanisation of hazardous sanitation work.

A major objective of the scheme is to eliminate hazardous manual cleaning practices and ensure that sanitation workers can carry out their work with greater safety and dignity.

The distribution of NAMASTE Cards provides formal recognition to eligible workers and can help connect them with various government welfare and social-security benefits.

The simultaneous distribution of Ayushman Cards is intended to extend healthcare coverage to waste pickers. This is significant because sanitation workers can face occupational risks and other health challenges because of the nature of their work.

The government has been emphasising greater access to social-security and healthcare benefits for sanitation workers as part of its broader efforts to improve their quality of life.

Waste pickers play an important role in collecting, sorting and recovering recyclable material, thereby contributing to waste management and cleaner cities. The government's focus on their formal recognition and welfare is aimed at ensuring that their contribution is supported by better working conditions and access to public services.

The Najafgarh programme marks another step towards bringing waste pickers into the formal framework of the NAMASTE scheme and connecting them with welfare and healthcare support.