Balamala Malli’s journey from a waste picker in Guntur to a sanitation entrepreneur shows how mechanisation, skill development and financial support can transform hazardous informal work into a safer, dignified and self-reliant livelihood.
NAMASTE scheme data show rising PPE, insurance and vehicle-subsidy numbers even as rights groups say official sewer-death figures undercount fatalities NEW DELHI — The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) said on September 13 that 90,942 sewer and septic tank workers have been profiled nationwide under its flagship sanitation-worker safety programme, with 89,248…
India’s extreme 2026 heatwave is exposing deep gaps in policy, leaving outdoor workers and vulnerable communities without protection. Despite warnings and emergency steps, long-term solutions and worker-focused measures remain missing. The Numbers This Week Right now, India is feeling the full force of an unprecedented heatwave. Money control reported on April 22, 2026, that 19…
