3rd NAMASTE Day Observed; National Event Held in Kolkata
The 3rd NAMASTE Day (National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem) was observed on 14 July 2026, with the main national event at Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata, led by Union Social Justice & Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar; parallel programmes ran across Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) nationwide. The NAMASTE scheme, jointly implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and MoHUA, aims to eliminate hazardous manual sanitation work through mechanisation while ensuring the safety, dignity, skill development and social security of sewer/septic-tank workers, waste pickers and former manual scavengers. Day activities included occupational-safety training, health camps, safety-gear distribution and demonstrations of mechanised sanitation equipment.
NAMASTE = National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem | Ministries: Social Justice & Empowerment + MoHUA | Launched: 2022-23
3rd NAMASTE Day observed on 14 July 2026 (Kolkata); NAMASTE (2022-23, MoSJE + MoHUA) targets an end to hazardous manual sewer and septic-tank cleaning.
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