Vijayawada: Aiming at the welfare of ragpickers living in the city, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) initiated profiling of rag pickers to extend the benefits of the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE), a centrally sponsored scheme implemented for the upliftment of individuals engaged in sanitation activities.
In this regard, the VMC and Swarnandhra Corporation jointly organised a meeting for rag pickers to create awareness on the NAMASTE scheme at the sanitary inspector building in Rajarajeshwari Pet here.
VMC in-charge commissioner D Chandrasekhar said the NAMASTE scheme, rolled out by the centre, is a big boon for ragpickers and sanitation workers alike.
“Under this scheme, ragpickers are eligible for a 5 lakh health insurance policy and fees reimbursement for pursuing higher education. This apart, subsidy assistance to procure a specialised vehicle to collect waste will be provided,” Chandrasekhar said.
He added that Aadhaar would be linked to open zero balance bank accounts of eligible individuals as part of the profiling. He urged the ragpickers and sanitation workers to participate in the profiling driv.e.
