The Union Government published the first national dataset on waste-pickers under the NAMASTE (National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem) scheme. Urban Local Bodies in 35 States and Union Territories have profiled and validated about 1.52 lakh waste-pickers. Roughly 84.5% belong to SC, ST and OBC communities; 48.7% are women, 51.3% men, and 12 are transgender persons. NAMASTE, run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, aims to recognise sanitation workers and end deaths from hazardous sewer and septic-tank cleaning.