The Odisha Garima Scheme 2026 has been introduced by the state government, led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Through this initiative, the Odisha government aims to support approximately 20,000 sanitation workers and their families, benefiting a total population of 1 lakh. The program is designed to uphold the safety and professional dignity of essential sanitation staff. An initial corpus fund of Rs. 50 crore has been allocated to support the scheme, which seeks to formalize sanitation roles while providing robust financial and social security protections for these workers and their households.
In addition to the Odisha Garima Scheme 2026, a State Commission for Core Sanitation Workers will be established. The program will be active across all 114 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) throughout Odisha. Officially launched on 11 September 2020, the primary objective of this initiative is to eliminate manual scavenging, which has historically led to numerous hazards and accidents for workers in the field.
Odisha Garima Scheme 2026 for Core Sanitation Workers
As India continues to advance across various sectors, the safety and dignity of manual scavengers remain a critical concern that has yet to be fully addressed. For generations, these vulnerable individuals have performed vital services while facing social stigma, exclusion, and a lack of basic safety measures or fair livelihoods. To rectify this systemic injustice, the state government has introduced the Odisha Garima Scheme 2026.
Objectives of Garima Scheme
The Garima Scheme represents a pioneering state-level effort in India, offering a comprehensive support package that focuses on:
- Regulating and formalizing core sanitation roles.
- Delivering specific service-related benefits.
- Ensuring social security for sanitation staff and their dependents.
- Providing financial support to former manual scavengers and their families.
- Strengthening the enforcement of relevant national and state-level legal protections.
Approximately 20,000 sanitation workers and their families, representing a population of roughly 1 lakh, are expected to receive assistance through this initiative.
Details regarding the scheme's launch were shared by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik via his official Twitter handle, @Naveen_Odisha. The initiative involves conducting a statewide survey to identify and register all individuals currently employed in core sanitation tasks into a unified database.
The government will also facilitate the authorization of private sanitation firms through ULBs. Furthermore, daily working hours for sanitation staff will be capped at 6 hours, and workers and their families will be provided with comprehensive health insurance coverage.