Through targeted financial assistance and support for sanitation-related equipment, the Swachhta Udyami Yojana (SUY) under the NAMASTE framework is aimed to create opportunities for income generation and self-reliance. This way the sustainable livelihood opportunities can play an important role in improving the economic security and dignity of Safai Karamcharis.

Shri Tadikonda Rambabu, aged 40, is a Safai Karamchari belonging to the Scheduled Caste community. He has been working with the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation on an outsourcing basis since 2016.

Having completed his Secondary School Certificate (SSC), he was unable to pursue higher education due to financial constraints. His family depended primarily on his monthly income of approximately Rs 19,000, while meeting household expenses and supporting the education of his two sons remained a continuing challenge.

Shri Rambabu’s wife is a homemaker. His elder son is studying in Class 10 and his younger son is in Intermediate Second Year. With limited financial resources and experiences of social discrimination, he aspired to improve his family’s standard of living and provide his children with better educational opportunities.

On 21 August 2025, Shri Rambabu, along with four other members, received assistance under the Swachhta Udyami Yojana (SUY) of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, under the NAMASTE framework. The group received an upfront capital subsidy for a project to procure a Gulfer 8 KL desludging vehicle, enabling them to undertake sanitation-related services and establish an additional source of income alongside their existing work.

The total project cost was Rs 50 lakh, supported by a loan of Rs 31.25 lakh and a capital subsidy of Rs 18.75 lakh. Through the project, Shri Rambabu now earns approximately Rs 10,000 in additional income per month. His total monthly income has increased from around Rs 19,000 to approximately Rs 29,000, helping him manage household expenses and his children’s educational needs more effectively.

The additional income has strengthened the family’s financial security and reduced the pressure of meeting day-to-day expenses. The project has also provided Shri Rambabu and his group members with an opportunity to build a more sustainable livelihood through sanitation-related entrepreneurial activity.

Shri Tadikonda Rambabu’s journey highlights the role of the Swachhta Udyami Yojana under the NAMASTE framework in supporting livelihood generation and socio-economic empowerment among Safai Karamcharis. By facilitating access to capital subsidy for sanitation equipment, the scheme has helped him increase his income, support his children’s education and work towards a more stable and dignified future for his family.

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