On the occasion of Labour Day, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment today signed a Letter of Agreement with the United Nations Development Programme to recognise and strengthen the contribution of waste pickers in waste collection, recovery, and recycling. This initiative will provide them with improved access to finance and relevant technologies, along with a safe and sustainable work environment.

The UNDP has stepped forward to provide crucial financial support for the establishment of State Project Management Units across various states under the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem scheme. This scheme is a testament to the government’s human-centric approach, where no sanitation workers are required to manually engage in the hazardous task of sewer and septic tank cleaning operations.