Bhubaneswar, July 26 (UNI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today announced a comprehensive welfare package for sanitation workers, including Rs 10 lakh life insurance coverage and Rs 30 lakh compensation in case of death while on duty.
The announcement was made during the inauguration of a two-day workshop on ‘Transforming Core Sanitation Work: Safety, Dignity & Inclusion’ in Bhubaneswar.
The Chief Minister also declared that mobile phones will be provided to key sanitation workers, particularly those engaged in sewage and septic tank cleaning.
Additionally, sanitation workers will be allotted houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana“As a society, it is our moral responsibility to ensure justice, safety, and dignity for our sanitation workers,” Majhi said.
He further announced that a 15-day statewide Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign will be conducted from August 15 to 30 to raise awareness and strengthen the sanitation drive.
Highlighting the success of Garima Yojana, the Chief Minister said it has played a key role in ensuring safety, dignity, and social security for sanitation workers in Odisha.
“Garima Yojana has achieved the national sanitation targets and has become a model for other states,” he added.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Majhi noted that it was Modi who launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on August 15, 2014, envisioning sanitation in every household as a prerequisite for India’s social and economic development.
Under the Garima Yojana, sanitation workers are being identified, trained, and provided with safety gear, skill development opportunities, and access to emergency sanitation service units.
Over 10,000 sanitation workers across 115 cities in Odisha have been officially recognised as skilled and highly skilled professionals, Majhi said.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister inaugurated an exhibition showcasing modern sanitation and safety equipment and felicitated several key sanitation workers.
