Kurnool:As part of the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme, the Kurnool Municipal Corporation has launched a comprehensive survey to identify waste pickers operating within the city. This initiative aims to extend professional equipment, identity documentation, and subsidised loans for waste collection vehicles to the informal workers, thereby supporting their livelihoods and integrating them into the formal waste management system.The survey, currently underway, is being conducted to not only recognise the contributions of waste pickers in waste collection, recovery, and recycling but also to formalise their roles under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. So far, nearly 100 waste pickers have registered themselves by applying for Aadhaar cards and opening bank accounts—prerequisites to avail the scheme’s benefits. Once registered on the official NAMASTE portal, these people will receive official recognition, making them eligible for various welfare measures.NAMASTE is a joint initiative of the ministry of social justice and empowerment (MoSJE), ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA), and the department of drinking water and sanitation (DoDWS) and is implemented by the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC).From the financial year 2024–25, waste pickers have been officially included as beneficiaries—a major policy shift intended to provide them with dignified, secure, and sustainable employment opportunities.According to municipal health officer Dr K. Visweswara Reddy, the scheme will help waste pickers access personal protective equipment (PPE), medical treatment under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, and subsidised loans of up to `5 lakh for purchasing waste collection vehicles. Eligible people will also gain access to skill training and scholarships to improve their professional capacity and socio-economic standing.The municipal corporation has urged all unregistered waste pickers in the city to come forward and enrol in the scheme to secure the full range of benefits. For registration and further details, he advised people to contact their local sanitation inspector or reach out to the program coordinator at 9492469964.Further, police officials said that the registration and identification process will help distinguish genuine waste pickers from those posing as such for criminal activities.
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