Kapil, a resident of Husainpur in Muradnagar, Ghaziabad District, Uttar Pradesh, transformed from an unpaid helper to an independent sanitation entrepreneur after receiving financial assistance under the NAMASTE-Swachhta Udyami Yojana (SUY) Initiative.
Kapil, belonging to the Scheduled Caste (Khatik) community and hailing from a financially weak family, had limited education and was dependent on sanitation work. After completing school, he assisted his father in sewer and septic tank cleaning without receiving a fixed salary. As the eldest son, Kapil supported his parents, four sisters, and three brothers. With limited resources, the household mainly depended on traditional sanitation-related work. Financial hardship, limited higher education, unstable employment, and the social stigma associated with sanitation work restricted Kapil’s prospects. However, he remained determined to become self-reliant and improve his family’s living conditions. In 2023, Kapil received financial assistance under the Swachhta Udyami Yojana, implemented through the NAMASTE Scheme, for purchasing a tractor fitted with a suction machine. Against a total project cost of INR 7,77,800, he received a loan of INR 6,77,800 and a capital subsidy. This assistance enabled Kapil to establish a mechanised sanitation service business. Today, he earns approximately INR 30,000–INR 35,000 per month from mechanised sanitation work, even after meeting operational expenses and paying a monthly loan instalment of INR 14,517.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
