Chandigarh, 10 September:- The Haryana Government has taken several important welfare decisions in the interest of rural sanitation workers across the state. These decisions have been taken in view of the demands raised during a meeting held with rural sanitation workers on May 29, 2026. In this regard, the Director of the Development and Panchayats Department issued a letter today giving necessary directions.
It is noteworthy that Development and Panchayats Minister Shri Krishan Lal Panwar and Social Justice, Empowerment, Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Welfare Minister Shri Krishan Kumar Bedi had been continuously making efforts to get the demands of sanitation workers fulfilled, acting as a link between the sanitation workers and the government. At the same time, Chief Minister Shri Nayab Singh Saini had also adopted a sympathetic approach towards the demands of sanitation workers, following which the government took an immediate decision in the interest of sanitation workers and a letter in this regard has also been issued.
According to the decisions taken by the government, the arrears of the increased honorarium of rural sanitation workers from January 2026 will be paid. From January 2026 to June 30, 2026, the honorarium has been increased by Rs. 2,100, raising it from Rs. 16,000 to Rs. 18,100 per month. Along with this, eligible rural sanitation workers who were not paid honorarium during the period of the October 2023 strike will be paid the arrears after verification of official records. These include 48 rural sanitation workers from Dhand, 54 from Farrukhnagar, 25 from Sihma and 15 from Nizampur.
The government has also provided relief to rural sanitation workers who are assigned duty outside their village. Such workers will be paid an allowance of Rs. 200 per day by the concerned Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) office from the petty cash (petty cash fund).
The annual uniform allowance for rural sanitation workers has also been increased. The uniform allowance has been increased from Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 6,000 per year. Similarly, the washing allowance has been increased by Rs. 500, raising it from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,500 per year.
Appointment to Family on Compassionate Grounds in Case of Death During Duty:
Taking an important decision towards the welfare of rural sanitation workers, the government has made a provision that if a rural sanitation worker dies while on duty, one member of the deceased worker's family will be given an appointment on compassionate grounds.
In addition, the BDPO office will also assist the family of a deceased rural sanitation worker in the process of obtaining the death claim related to EPF/ESI. The objective is to help the family with the necessary documentation and prevent any possibility of exploitation by private agencies.
Rs. 500 Penalty if Honorarium is Not Paid by the 7th:
The government has also issued clear directions to ensure timely payment of honorarium to rural sanitation workers. As per the orders, the honorarium must mandatorily be paid by the 7th of every month. If there is a delay in payment, a penalty of Rs. 500 will have to be paid at the concerned level.
These decisions of the Haryana Government will provide significant relief to rural sanitation workers across the state in terms of economic and social security as well as facilities related to their work. These steps by the government constitute a concrete initiative towards improving the working conditions of workers associated with the rural sanitation system and ensuring their financial security.