Status: The government has launched the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) to provide safety and dignity to sanitation workers by providing them access to alternative livelihoods and better safety gear and machines. The scheme aims to provide skill training to sanitation workers and a total mechanisation of cleaning operations. While the government allocated more funds under the scheme, the actual spending remained the same. 308 persons have died while cleaning sewer and septic tanks in the past five years. i ii iii