Union Minister Virender Kumar meets J&K LG; distributes PPE kits, Ayushman cards to SSWs

“Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virender Kumar on Friday met the Jammu and Kashmir Lt. The minister was in Jammu to distribute Personal Protective Equipment kits and Ayushman health cards to Sewer and Septic Tank Workers under the flagship scheme of National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem. “This dedication to prioritising the marginalised reflects the government’s broader vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’, where every individual has the opportunity to contribute to and benefit from India’s development journey,” Mr. Kumar said. Earlier, the minister distributed Personal PPE kits and Ayushman health cards to SSWs at a separate function, highlighting that the NAMASTE scheme is to ensure safety and dignity of sanitation workers in urban India and enhancing their occupational safety through capacity building and improved access to PPE Kits, safety devices and machines. He said the Ayushman health card is a form of identification issued under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, a government- It provides beneficiaries with access to cashless and paperless healthcare services at empanelled hospitals, he said, adding the card contains essential information about the beneficiary, including their unique identification number and details of covered healthcare services.