Centre tells Lok Sabha no measurable gains from sewer cleaning mechanisation under NAMASTE mission

The response came amid queries on whether the programme has delivered tangible improvements in working conditions and livelihoods. (Representation image)

• No indicators set to measure efficiency gains from mechanisation
• 622 sanitation worker deaths since 2017; 539 families compensated
• Over 89,000 workers identified; 85,473 PPE kits distributed

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The Union government informed the Lok Sabha that it has not established any indicators to assess whether mechanising sewer and septic tank cleaning has improved efficiency or productivity.

Replying to a question on the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE), Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale said, “No measurable indicators have so far been identified to show enhanced efficiency or productivity due to mechanisation.”

The government also stated that it does not have data on whether sanitation workers’ earnings have increased since the scheme began in 2023-24.

The response came amid queries on whether the programme has delivered tangible improvements in working conditions and livelihoods.

Deaths and complaints highlight ongoing risks

Separate responses in Parliament pointed to persistent hazards in sanitation work. Since 2017, 622 deaths linked to hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning have been recorded nationwide.

Of these, families of 539 victims received full compensation, while 52 families are yet to be compensated.

In 2025 alone, the National Commission for Safai Karmacharis registered 842 complaints. These included issues such as delayed or denied wages, lack of protective equipment, and allegations of caste-based discrimination.

Progress under NAMASTE and related schemes

Providing an update on implementation, the government said that more than 89,000 sewer and septic tank workers have been identified and verified by urban local bodies under NAMASTE.

Data shared in December 2025 indicated that 85,473 personal protective equipment kits had been distributed, and over 71,000 workers had been covered under Ayushman Bharat.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is also supporting mechanisation efforts through funding for used water management in smaller urban centres with populations below one lakh. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0, launched in 2021, Rs 15,926 crore was allocated, with projects worth Rs 13,699 crore approved so far.

Debate over caste and occupation

Responding to a question on whether sanitation work continues to be shaped by caste, Athawale maintained that sewer and septic tank cleaning is “occupation-based”, not caste-based.

However, official data presented earlier in Parliament suggests a concentration of workers from historically marginalised communities.

As of December 2024, 91.95% of those identified as sewer and septic tank workers belonged to SC, ST, and OBC groups, while 8.05% were from the General category. Similarly, data on waste-pickers showed that 84.5% were from SC/ST and OBC backgrounds, compared to 10.7% from the General category.

These figures were cited in response to concerns about the inter-generational nature of sanitation work and its social composition, even as the government reiterated its position on the nature of the occupation.