AAP MP Raises Alarm Over Sanitation Workers' Plight Amid Privatization

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh on Wednesday urged the Rajya Sabha to address the 'injustice' facing sanitation workers due to the privatization of municipal corporations. Singh's Zero Hour notice aimed to shed light on the struggles of these workers, especially within urban local bodies like the Kanpur Municipal Corporation in Uttar Pradesh.

Singh described sanitation workers as pivotal to India's cleanliness infrastructure, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when they risked their lives to maintain sanitation. He criticized the outsourcing of municipal services to private entities, arguing it jeopardizes the workers' job security and access to legal benefits like EPF, ESI, and minimum wages.

The notice highlighted growing concerns over the employment rights of long-serving workers as sanitation systems increasingly shift to private contractors. This move, Singh argued, undermines their regular appointments, job security, and access to statutory benefits, leaving them vulnerable. Meanwhile, discussions on the Union Budget 2026-26 continued in both Houses of Parliament.