Published: 10 July 2026Press Information BureauGovernance
Third NAMASTE Day on 14 July: Main Event with Divya Kala Mela in Kolkata
The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment announced on 11 July 2026 that the 3rd NAMASTE Day will be commemorated on 14 July 2026. NAMASTE, or the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem, was launched by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2023-24, so the observance marks three years of the scheme.
The main event, held along with the Divya Kala Mela, will take place at Rabindra Sadan in Kolkata, West Bengal, while parallel programmes will be organised across Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) nationwide. Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar is expected to attend, along with Ministers, Members of Parliament, MLAs, senior Centre and state officials and the National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC).
On NAMASTE Day, ULBs will organise occupational safety training, health check-up camps, facilitation of government entitlements, demonstrations of mechanized sanitation equipment and safety gear, and recognition of sanitation workers.
The day honours sanitation workers, including sewer and septic tank workers, waste pickers and former manual scavengers, for their role in safeguarding public health and environmental sanitation. The scheme aims to ensure their dignity, safety and social security, and to strengthen them socially and economically through mechanized sanitation, elimination of hazardous cleaning practices, protective equipment, skill development and sustainable livelihoods.
Its intended outcomes are zero fatalities in sanitation work; elimination of direct contact of workers with human faecal matter; all cleaning operations through safety devices; sanitation work performed by skilled workers; strengthening of Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs); and empowerment of workers through Self-Help Groups and entrepreneurship. The Ministry said the observance prioritises the welfare of historically marginalized communities while promoting a safe, inclusive and dignified sanitation ecosystem.
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Practice MCQ from this story
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Linked questionEasy
With reference to the 3rd NAMASTE Day announced by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in July 2026, consider the following statements:
1. NAMASTE stands for National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem.
2. The main event of the 3rd NAMASTE Day, along with the Divya Kala Mela, is to be held at Rabindra Sadan in Kolkata, West Bengal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation · Correct answer CBoth statements are correct, so the answer is C.
Statement 1 is correct: NAMASTE is the acronym for the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem, a scheme launched by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2023 (2023-24) to secure the dignity, safety and social security of sanitation workers.
Statement 2 is correct: the main event of the 3rd NAMASTE Day on 14 July 2026, held along with the Divya Kala Mela, is scheduled at Rabindra Sadan in Kolkata, West Bengal, while parallel programmes take place across Urban Local Bodies nationwide.
Option A is wrong because it rejects statement 2, which is factually correct. Option B is wrong because it rejects statement 1, though the expansion of the acronym is accurate. Option D is wrong because neither statement is false.
Frequently asked questions
What does NAMASTE stand for?
NAMASTE stands for National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem. It was launched by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2023-24 to ensure the dignity, safety and social security of sanitation workers and to strengthen them socially and economically.
When and where is the 3rd NAMASTE Day being observed?
It will be observed on 14 July 2026. The main event, along with the Divya Kala Mela, will be held at Rabindra Sadan in Kolkata, West Bengal, while parallel programmes will take place across Urban Local Bodies nationwide.
Which ministry is responsible for the NAMASTE Scheme?
The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC) is among the bodies associated with the observance.
Whom does NAMASTE Day honour?
It honours sanitation workers, including sewer and septic tank workers, waste pickers and former manual scavengers, for their role in safeguarding public health and environmental sanitation.
What are the intended outcomes of the NAMASTE Scheme?
Zero fatalities in sanitation work, elimination of direct contact of workers with human faecal matter, all cleaning operations through safety devices, sanitation work performed only by skilled workers, strengthened Emergency Response Sanitation Units, and empowerment of workers through Self-Help Groups and entrepreneurship.
