Odisha: Core Sanitation Workers to Get GARIMA ID Cards on “World Environment Day”

Bhubaneswar: Core Sanitation Workers identified in 115 ULBs will be provided with ID Cards under “GARIMA”.

The Government of Odisha introduced the first of its kind scheme launched by any state in India for the safety, dignity and welfare of Core Sanitation Workers in 2020. It seeks to improve the socio-economic conditions of sanitation workers and their families by providing a comprehensive package that ensures service-level benefits, social security and financial benefits to the Core Sanitation Workers and their families, according to an official release.

The Garima scheme covers only Core Sanitation Workers (CSWs) who deal with human faecal waste. Under Garima, Core Sanitation Work includes (i) dislodging of onsite sanitation systems, (ii) maintenance of sewerage network, (iii) cleaning of drains, (iv) operation and maintenance of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs), and (v) cleaning, operation and maintenance of public and community toilets which involves dealing with human faecal matter in varying degrees

In order to ensure that the various safeguards and benefits provided under Garima reach the intended beneficiaries, the survey of Core Sanitation Workers is an essential part of the programme for identifying the genuine workers performing core sanitation work who are to be covered under the scheme. A door-to-door survey was carried out to identify the Core Sanitation Workers, who were then subjected to a validation process. Those Core Sanitation Workers who passed the validation process are being given a Garima ID with unique4 ID Number, which will act as their one-stop information point for all benefits, including social security benefits and service-level benefits.

In the first phase, ID cards were distributed to 3925 Core Sanitation Workers in five Minicipal Corporations and Puri Minicipality.. Now in the second phase, on the eve of “World Environment Day,” ID cards will be distributed to rest 5725 Core Sanitation Workers from the remaining Urban Local Bodies.

In this regards Additional Secretary Durgesh Nandini Sahoo has written to Commissioners of BMC & SMC, Executive officers of all Municipalities & NACs that since identification and ID card preparation of CSWs under Garima has been completed on time now it has been decided to distribute ID cards to the identified CSWs on the eve of “World Environment Day” on 5th June. Please ensure that the ID card distribution programme is positively organised in the presence of eminent personalities/local leaders and that each CSW receives her/his ID card during the programme.