Government to Take Firm Steps
to Ensure Eradication of Manual Scavenging
Consultation Meeting on Eradication of Manual Scanvenging and Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers Concluded
The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has decided to immediately constitute a group to suggest the scope and methodology to be adopted for conducting a fresh survey of Manual Scavengers in the country. This was decided at the conclusion of the two-day Consultation Meeting on Eradication of Manual Scavenging and Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers yesterday. The Meeting was organized by the Ministries of Social Justice & Empowerment, Urban Poverty Alleviation and Urban Development.
The Ministry will also undertake the review of its Self-employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers’ (SRMS) and consider necessary revision to effectively rehabilitate the remaining manual scavengers. This Scheme was launched in January 2007 with the objective of rehabilitating remaining manual scavengers and their dependents, in alternative occupations, within a stipulated time frame. Under SRMS identified beneficiaries are provided loan at subsidized rate of interest for setting up self employment projects costing up to Rs. 5.00 lakh. Capital subsidy is also provided.
An exercise will also be undertaken to devise additional programmes for education and skill development of manual scavengers’ children.
At the two-day meet, extensive discussions were held on the need for the necessary amendments in the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrine (Prohibition) Act, 1993. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation will do the follow up in this matter. Similarly, the Ministry of Urban Development will finalize a Plan of Action of States for provision of total sanitation including conversion of all insanitary latrines and mechanization of cleaning of drainage/sewerage system in all urban areas.
The Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment Shri Mukul Wasnik while inaugurating the two-day Meet, had called upon the States to work towards eradicating the shameful practice of manual scavenging by the end of the 11th plan. He regretted that despite various efforts made by the Central Government and the States, the practice of manual scavenging still existed in some parts of the country. Safai Karamchari Andolan (SKA) had recently, based on a limited survey conducted by it, had furnished a list of 4,833 persons still engaged in the practice of manual scavenging in 14 States. “We have already requested the concerned State Government to take immediate steps for their rehabilitation in alternative occupations”, Shri Wasnik had told the participants at the above meet.
The National Advisory Council (NAC) had passed a resolution in Oct. 2010 recommending that the implementation of the law relating to the eradication of the manual scavenging should be monitored at the highest level of the Central and State governments. The NAC will also monitor the progress in abolition of manual scavenging on a quarterly basis. The consultation meet was held as a sequel to this resolution.
The two day meet was attended by the Chairpersons and Members of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis and National Commission for Scheduled Castes; concerned Central Ministries like Social Justice & Empowerment, HUPA, Urban Development and 11 State Governments, besides the experts in the field and NGOs like Safai Karamchari Andolan and Sulabh International etc.
VBA
****