Economy
Sanitation scheme adds ₹10,000 monthly income for waste picker
A sanitation enterprise subsidy helped Guntur waste picker Mekala Yesamma raise monthly income from ₹8,000 to ₹18,000.
What happened
Mekala Yesamma, a 33-year-old Scheduled Tribe woman who had collected waste in Guntur for about 12 years, received support under the Swachhata Udyami Yojana on June 19, 2023. The group project funded a tractor-mounted open-drain cleaner through a ₹10.25 lakh loan and ₹6.75 lakh capital subsidy. She now earns ₹10,000 more each month, taking total income to about ₹18,000.
Why it matters
The additional income strengthens her ability to meet household expenses, support her children’s education and improve family living standards, while reducing dependence on limited earning sources.
Source: Press Information Bureau (India)