MoSJE Launches Waste Picker Enumeration App Under NAMASTE Scheme

Marking World Environment Day 2025, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) took a transformative step towards social and environmental equity by launching the Waste Picker Enumeration App under the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme. The launch event, held in New Delhi, reinforces the government's vision of building an inclusive sanitation ecosystem, while formally integrating waste pickers—long overlooked contributors to India’s circular economy—into urban service delivery frameworks.

The initiative was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri B L Verma, in the presence of key dignitaries including Shri Amit Yadav, Secretary (DoSJE), Smt. Yogita Swaroop, Senior Economic Advisor (MoSJE), Ms. Manvita Baradi, Founder & Director, UMC, and Shri P.K. Singh, Managing Director, NSKFDC.

Expanding NAMASTE: Waste Pickers Now Included in Scheme Coverage

Originally launched to address the rights and welfare of sewer and septic tank workers (SSWs), the NAMASTE scheme’s scope was formally expanded in June 2024 to include waste pickers—an estimated 2.5 lakh individuals across India who work informally in solid waste recovery.

With this expansion, NAMASTE aims to:

• Digitally enumerate and profile waste pickers

• Provide occupational photo ID cards

• Deliver health protection through Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY)

• Distribute PPE kits for safe waste handling

• Enable access to skilling, livelihood finance, and capital subsidies

• Strengthen waste picker collectives to manage 750 Dry Waste Collection Centres (DWCCs)

This marks the first nationwide digital initiative to formally recognize the contributions of waste pickers, offering them a legal identity, social entitlements, and a pathway into the formal urban workforce.

Waste Picker Enumeration App: Tech for Transformation

The newly launched Waste Picker Enumeration App will play a critical role in:

• Creating a verified national database of waste pickers

• Facilitating integration into municipal systems

• Enabling targeted delivery of welfare benefits

• Supporting urban local bodies and NGOs to engage workers in structured programs

Officials emphasized that the app was developed with user-friendly features, optimized for field-level data collectors working in informal settlements and urban slums.

New Knowledge Products to Guide Policy and Practice

Alongside the app, two major knowledge products were unveiled to support advocacy, planning, and implementation:

1. “Resource Guide: Mainstreaming Waste Picker Collectives as Service Delivery Partners” – A practical handbook for urban managers and planners to partner with organized waste picker groups.

2. “Charting Change: Socio-Economic Insights into India’s Sanitation Workforce (2023–2025)” – A detailed research report presenting trends, challenges, and policy pathways for strengthening India’s sanitation labour force.

These resources aim to assist city governments, NGOs, and stakeholders in mainstreaming informal sanitation workers, ensuring dignified work conditions and stable livelihoods.

Milestones Achieved Under NAMASTE Scheme So Far

As of May 29, 2025, NAMASTE has achieved significant progress in its work with sewer and septic tank workers (SSWs):

• 80,000+ workers enumerated and validated

• 26,447 Ayushman Bharat health cards distributed

• 45,781 PPE kits provided

• 354 Emergency Response Safety Kits deployed

The scheme’s multi-dimensional approach combines enumeration, welfare delivery, training, safety equipment, and long-term occupational transition.

Building an Inclusive and Sustainable Sanitation Ecosystem

Shri B L Verma, in his keynote address, noted:

“Recognizing the role of waste pickers is essential to ensure equity in our sanitation workforce. With this app and the extended coverage under NAMASTE, we are laying the foundation for a more just, safer, and environmentally resilient urban sanitation system.”

The expanded scheme reflects India’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly:

• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)

• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)

A Step Toward Formalisation and Dignity

The recognition of waste pickers through NAMASTE is a significant victory for worker justice advocates and civil society organizations who have long pushed for their legal and economic inclusion. By bringing waste pickers into the formal urban waste management system, India signals a paradigm shift—one that values environmental stewardship and human dignity equally.

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to policy innovation, inter-ministerial collaboration, and inclusive urban development, ensuring that no worker is left behind in the pursuit of a cleaner, fairer, and greener India.