Two-Day National Conference on GARIMA concludes with renewed commitment to dignity, safety and inclusion

Bhubaneswar(By Abhishek Mohanty): 
The two-day National Conference on “Ensuring Dignity, Safety, and Inclusion of Core Sanitation Workers” under Odisha’s pioneering GARIMA initiative concluded today in Bhubaneswar with a resounding message of unity, policy resolve, and compassion. The event culminated in the adoption of the Bhubaneswar Declaration, a landmark commitment to safeguard the rights and well-being of Core sanitation workers across the country.

The valedictory session, held in the presence of senior policymakers, experts, and sanitation champions from across India, was graced by Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Minister, Housing & Urban Development Department, Government of Odisha as Chief Guest.

In a deeply moving gesture, the Minister felicitated sanitation market place vendors, recognizing their contribution towards the safety of the Core Sanitation Workers. This underscored the commitment of the government in recognising the stakeholders in the Core Sanitation Value chain.  

Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, delivered the keynote address during the closing session. 
She expressed pride in Odisha’s leadership in bringing the issue of core sanitation workers to the national forefront and emphasized the need to institutionalize learning, action, and empathy. Notably, she repeated that the National GARIMA Workshop will now be held annually in the month of July, symbolizing an enduring national commitment to this cause as declared by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi during his inaugural speech on the first day of the workshop.

Padhee also highlighted the key takeaways from the two-day deliberations, including the need for robust social protection frameworks tailored for sanitation workers. 

Scaling up of Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) standards , Formalization of informal workers through contractual reforms and access to welfare schemes.

Use of technology and data systems to track welfare delivery and Inclusion of women and transgender workers in sanitation roles with dignity and safeguards, she added.

The GARIMA initiative, launched by the Government of Odisha in 2020, has already been hailed as a model for dignified sanitation work. It aims to protect the rights of core sanitation workers by ensuring safety at the workplace, fair wages, insurance, social security, and respect in society. Over the past few years, GARIMA has enabled registration and profiling of over 10,000 Core Sanitation Workers across the state, distribution of PPE kits, health insurance, and regular training, integration with urban local body (ULB) welfare plans, setting up of grievance redressal and Emergency Response Sanitation units (ERSU) for workers.

As part of the conference, delegates from various states, international organizations, NGOs, and ULBs participated in thematic sessions on best practices in sanitation workforce management, financing models for social security, mental health and well-being, innovations in mechanized sanitation and safety protocols.

Durgesh Nandini Sahoo, Additional Secretary, H&UD Department, and Arindam Dakua, Director of Municipal Administration, also shared their reflections during the closing session. 

Dakua proposed the vote of thanks, appreciating all stakeholders, experts, and frontline workers for their valuable contributions and participation.

The conference concluded with a shared resolution—to uphold the dignity of sanitation workers not just through policy but through practice, making every city in India a safer, more equitable space for those who serve at the very core of urban hygiene.

The Bhubaneswar Declaration, as the final outcome of the conference, serves as a guiding framework for all states to follow Odisha’s lead in reimagining the sanitation ecosystem with human dignity at its core. Delegates from 12 States and 34 development organisations participated in this two day conference. The workshop also attended by Core Sanitation workers across the state, the Panchayati Raj Dept and ST & SCMBCC department officials.

During the 2 days of National workshop various technical sessions have been organised with state representatives of different states, development partners, sector experts on various thematic sessions related to safety of Core Sanitation workers followed by an experience sharing session for Core Sanitation Workers, ULB officials and Private Sanitation Service Organisations(PSSOs).

A field visit to Odisha Urban Academy, FSTP and MCC/ MRF was also organised for delegates  for having practical experience on the work done in Odisha.