The Tamil Nadu government has increased the monthly salary of sanitary workers in village panchayats from ₹5,000 to ₹6,000. The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department issued an official order on February 4, 2026. The state will allocate ₹476.136 crore annually from the State Finance Commission Grant to fund this raise. Sanitary workers, also called Thooimai Kavalars, handle duties like solid waste collection, segregation, and safe disposal to keep rural areas clean. They are hired through Village Poverty Reduction Committees and Panchayat Level Federations on an outsourcing basis. The last pay hike was in April 2023 when salaries rose from ₹3,600 to ₹5,000. This new increment aims to further support these essential workers and improve rural sanitation.