Sanitary Marts Scheme for Safai Karamcharis (NSKFDC)

What is the Sanitary Marts Scheme?

The Sanitary Marts Scheme is a concessional loan scheme launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and implemented by the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC). According to NSKFDC, the scheme extends financial assistance to individual beneficiaries and Self-Help Groups of liberated manual scavengers, Safai Karamcharis and their dependents for setting up sanitary marts.

A sanitary mart is a small enterprise that stocks and sells sanitation goods; toilet fittings, cleaning equipment, sanitary hardware and consumables — and can also offer sanitation services to households and institutions. By financing such outlets, the Sanitary Marts Scheme gives the target community a route into dignified self-employment and away from hazardous manual scavenging, which is prohibited under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

How much benefit does the Sanitary Marts Scheme provide?

• Quantum of loan: 90% of the total cost of the sanitary mart, subject to a maximum of Rs 15,00,000.
• Promoter's contribution: 10% of the total cost, brought in by the beneficiary.
• Interest: Not more than 7% per annum, payable by the beneficiary. A 1% rebate applies for women beneficiaries and a 0.5% rebate for timely repayment.
• Repayment: Term loans drawn from NSKFDC are repaid over up to 10 years in quarterly instalments.
• Moratorium: A moratorium of 6 months is allowed, in addition to a 4-month implementation period, before repayment begins.

For example, on a Rs 15 lakh sanitary mart the beneficiary contributes about Rs 1.5 lakh and NSKFDC finances the balance; a woman promoter who repays on time can bring her effective interest below 6% through the combined rebates.

Who is eligible for the Sanitary Marts Scheme?

You can apply if you belong to the target group:

• Safai Karamcharis (including waste pickers), identified manual scavengers and their dependents.
• Registered cooperative societies of Safai Karamcharis.
• Legally constituted associations or firms promoted by the target group.

You must produce a status certificate from a competent authority, a local Revenue Officer, Municipal Officer, Cantonment Executive Officer, Railway Officer, a gazetted head of a government department, an elected member of a municipal body, a Gram Panchayat Pradhan, or a Regional Manager of an RRB or Nationalised Bank. Under the MS Act, 2013, a person identified as a manual scavenger in a survey need not provide any certificate once their name appears in the final list prepared by the State Government or Union Territory.

You cannot apply if you are not a Safai Karamchari, waste picker, identified manual scavenger or their dependent. The scheme is closed to the general public and to businesses not promoted by the target group. No income limit is fixed for those who are eligible, but NSKFDC prioritises scavengers below double the poverty line, women and persons with disabilities within the community.

What documents are required for the Sanitary Marts Scheme?

How to apply for the Sanitary Marts Scheme

The Sanitary Marts Scheme is delivered offline through NSKFDC's Channelising Agencies and partner banks. There is no direct citizen web form; follow these official steps.

1. Submit your loan application with the required documents to the District Office of your State Channelising Agency (SCA) of NSKFDC, or to a branch of a Regional Rural Bank or Nationalised Bank.
2. The District Office scrutinises the application and sends it to its Head Office, which appraises the viability of your sanitary mart project.
3. Viable proposals are forwarded to NSKFDC with the agency's recommendation; the Project Appraisal Committee examines them and places proposals found in order before the Board of Directors for sanction.
4. After sanction, NSKFDC issues a Sanction Letter (Letter of Intent) to the SCA, RRB or bank; once its terms are accepted the loan is disbursed and you set up the mart, with repayment starting after the moratorium.

Help and where to start

Approach the District Office of your NSKFDC State Channelising Agency, or a nearby Regional Rural Bank or Nationalised Bank branch, to start an application. Scheme guidelines and the current list of Channelising Agencies are published on the NSKFDC portal at nskfdc.nic.in. Because sanction follows a fixed committee process, no middleman can guarantee approval for a fee.