Welfare of sanitation workers (India)

In the realm of waste management, sanitation workers play a pivotal role in achieving sustainable sanitation, engaging in tasks from waste collection to disposal. However, these activities expose them to various occupational hazards, emphasising the need for adequate security measures. The Indian Judicial System has made efforts to eradicate manual scavenging, with the 1993 Employment of Manual Scavengers Act and subsequent amendments, including the 2020 Amendment Bill. National welfare programs through NCSK and NSKFDC, particularly amid the pandemic, underscore the focus on sanitation workers. The study examines various welfare programs for sanitation workers, employing a nine-factor lens of assessment encompassing policy reforms, social security, dignity, health, safety, financial benefits, education, skill development, and empowerment. A comparison matrix is prepared that identifies missing elements in the welfare programs, and insights from the review inform suggestions to enhance sanitation worker welfare programs in Maharashtra.