Bringing social security to Mumbai's waste workers through government schemes

MUMBAI: Geeta Ahire, 38, a mother of three teenagers, proudly flashes her e-Shram card, which she carries with her daily as she travels from Vangaon in Dahanu to Dahisar for work.

Ahire works at the BMC's Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Dahisar and says that the card assures her family Rs 2 lakhs in case of her accidental death.

She’s not alone; Babloo Rao, 21, is enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), a government-backed life insurance scheme that offers a life cover of Rs 2 lakhs. Rao also holds an e-Shram card.

When TOI visited the MRF at Dahisar, dry waste was being sorted and recycled by these workers to maximize the amount of recyclable materials. These waste workers, who spend their entire day at the MRF, said that for the unorganised sector, one of the biggest challenges is identifying such schemes and enrolling in them.

However, Project Utthaan, an initiative by Hindustan Unilever (HUL) in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), is helping them access these government schemes. Close to 4,000 workers in Mumbai have been linked to various government schemes through this initiative.

Ahire, who previously worked at the dumping ground in Bhayander, mentioned that while the government rolls out these schemes, it’s often difficult to benefit from them without proper guidance. Dharam Raj, 28, another worker at the MRF, said that he is enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), which provides accidental death coverage of up to Rs 2 lakhs. A Dahisar resident, Raj said he would have struggled to enrol in the scheme without external help.

It usually takes about 3-6 months for waste workers, also known as Safai Saathis, to become eligible for such schemes. The first step to enrolling in any scheme is completing the 'Know-Your-Customer' (KYC) process. However, many workers face challenges at this stage, as they lack necessary identification documents due to living in temporary or informal settlements without a permanent address. Efforts are made to help them obtain Aadhar cards and link them to their bank accounts or the correct mobile numbers to access these benefits.

Prashanth Venkatesh, India Head of Sustainability at Hindustan Unilever Limited, said, "Safai Saathis are the invisible frontline heroes of our society and face numerous challenges such as food security, health security, financial inclusion, and more. Through Project Utthaan, in partnership with UNDP, Safai Saathis can access the government’s welfare schemes, helping them and their families lead more dignified lives."

Dr. Ashish Chaturvedi, Head of Action for Climate and Environment at UNDP India, added, "Project Utthaan embodies our commitment to driving inclusive development by addressing the challenges faced by Safai Saathis.

Through evidence-based interventions, we are working to ensure they have equitable access to social protection schemes, which strengthen their livelihoods and resilience."

Rahul Nainani, CEO & Co-Founder, ReCircle said, "Over the years, we have worked with organisations such as HUL and UNDP which has resulted in the upgradation of our Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Dahisar, Mumbai. Ours is a semi automated facility for dry waste management wherein we segregate 20 different categories of waste which has led to not only efficiency in sorting more waste and increase in our processing capacity but also improved livelihoods and formalisation of our informal waste workers or Safai Saathis."

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