From Contractual Sanitation Work to Self-Employment: How Swachhta Udyami Yojana Supported Satish Kumar’s Journey Towards Economic Empowerment

The Swachhta Udyami Yojana (SUY), a component of the NAMASTE scheme, provided a loan of ₹5.91 lakh from Canara Bank and a capital subsidy of ₹3.64 lakh from NSKFDC to Satish Kumar, a 54‑year‑old contractual sanitation worker from Sahibabad, Uttar Pradesh. With this financial assistance he purchased a Sewer Suction Machine costing ₹9.55 lakh, shifting from contract work (earning ₹13‑15 k/month) to self‑employment (earning ≈₹50 k/month) and saving about ₹25 k monthly. The case illustrates how targeted financial support and mechanisation can transform livelihoods of sanitation workers, enhancing income stability and economic empowerment.