PM-SURAJ and NAMASTE Scheme | 16 Mar 2024

Source: TH

Why in News?

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the 'Pradhan Mantri Samajik Utthan and Rozgar Adharit Jankalyan' (PM-SURAJ) national portal online aimed at offering credit support to the marginalized segments of society, with the Prime Minister as the Chief Guest.

• The PM distributed Ayushman Health Cards and Personal Protective Equipment to Safai Mitras(sewer and septic tank workers), under the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme, which was previously a rehabilitation scheme for manual scavengers.

What is PM-SURAJ?

• The 'PM-SURAJ' national portal aims to uplift the most marginalized sections of society and provide credit assistance to one lakh entrepreneurs from disadvantaged communities.
  • It is implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and its departments.
• The portal serves as a one-stop point where people from disadvantaged sections of society can apply for and monitor the progress of all loan and credit schemes already available to them.
• The credit support will be facilitated through banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies Finance Institutions (NBFC-MFIs), and other organizations, ensuring accessibility across the country.
  • An NBFC MFI is a non-deposit taking NBFC with a minimum Net Owned Funds (NOF) of Rs. 5 crore (Rs. 2 crore for those registered in the North Eastern Region of the country) and having at least 85% of its net assets as “qualifying assets (intended use or sale)”.

What is the NAMASTE Scheme?

• About:
  • The NAMASTE Scheme is a central Sector Scheme formulated in 2022, by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
    • It aims to ensure safety, dignity, and sustainable livelihoods for urban sanitation workers.
  • The Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS) has been renamed as the NAMASTE.
    • The SRMS scheme was launched in 2007 to help rehabilitate manual scavengers and their dependents.
  • The NAMASTE scheme is to be implemented over 4800 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of the country, during the next three years i.e. up to 2025-26.
    • The National Safai Karamchari Financial Development Corporation (NSKFDC) is the implementing agency for NAMASTE.
• Objectives:
  • Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (MS) and Persons Engaged in Hazardous Cleaning of Sewer and Septic tanks (SSWs).
  • Promotion of safe and mechanised cleaning of sewers and septic tanks through trained and certified sanitation workers.
• Intended Outcomes:
  • Zero fatalities in sanitation work in India.
  • All sanitation work is performed by formalized skilled workers.
  • No sanitation workers come in direct contact with human faecal matter.
  • Sanitation workers are collectivised into Self Help Groups (SHGs) and are empowered to run sanitation enterprises.
  • Sewers and SSWs and their dependents also have access to livelihoods by providing capital subsidies for purchase of sanitation-related equipment.
  • Increased awareness amongst sanitation services seekers (individuals and institutions) to seek services from registered skilled & certified sanitation workers
  • Extending Health Insurance Scheme benefits under Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) to SSW & manual scavengers and their family members.

What are India's Other Credit Schemes to Empower Marginalized Sections?

• Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)
• Stand-Up India Scheme
• Ambedkar Social Innovation and Incubation Mission
• Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana
• Special Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme
• Rashtriya Garima Abhiyaan:
  • National campaign for dignity and eradication of the practice of manual scavenging and rehabilitate the manual scavengers.