From Waste Picker to Swachhta Udyami: Balamala Malli's Journey Towards Dignity and Self-Reliance

The Press Information Bureau release details the livelihood transformation of Shri Balamala Malli, a 30-year-old waste picker from the Scheduled Tribe community in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, through the Swachhta Udyami Yojana (SUY) component of the NAMASTE Scheme. Supported by financial assistance provided by the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) on 19 June 2023, Malli and a four-member group procured a 3-in-1 Jetting, Grabbing and Rodding Machine for mechanised sanitation work. The project cost of Rs. 49,40,710 was funded via a loan of Rs. 30,80,530 and an upfront capital subsidy of Rs. 18,60,180. This intervention increased Malli's monthly income from about Rs. 8,000 to approximately Rs. 18,000, enabling better household management and education for his children.