OneWorld.net (U.S.)

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is preparing a new scheme for speedy rehabilitation of manual scavengers in alternative dignified jobs. The Government has accorded priority to eradication of manual scavenging and rehabilitation of scavengers in a time bound manner.

The Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Smt. Meira Kumar, has sought personal intervention of the Chief Ministers of States and Administrators of Union Territories in this regard. In a letter addressed to them on July 19, 2005, Smt. Kumar has invited their attention to the plight of these disadvantaged people and has urged them to make necessary efforts to end “geographical and social segregation of safai karamcharis to ensure their integration in the larger society resulting in an ‘inclusive’ society”.

Smt. Kumar had earlier, at a meeting of State Welfare Ministers convened on June 22, 05, highlighted the need of taking various steps for the welfare of the Safai Karamcharis and Scavengers like giving top priority to provision of adequate number of Anganwadis and basic amenities like drinking water, electricity, link-roads, schools, community centres etc.

An estimated number of scavengers is 6.76 lakh. Largest number of scavengers are in UP (1.49 lakh), followed by MP(80,000) and Gujarat( 64,000). Central assistance to the tune of Rs. 712.14 crore has been released under the National Scheme of Liberation and Rehabilitation of Scavengers and their Dependents from 1991-92 to 2002-03 towards training and rehabilitation of scavengers. Since 2003-04 the scheme has been transferred to the Ministry of Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation.

Despite several efforts, the inhuman and hereditary occupation of manual scavenging has not been eradicated completely so far. The Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment has expressed her grave concern over the dangerous and difficult working

conditions of the safai karamcharis and scavengers. The primitive equipment or many a times even absence of it has led to their death. There is a pressing and urgent need to modernize urban cleaning process. The Minister has intervened in the matter by highlighting the plight of safai karamcharis and scavengers and has called upon the Sate Governments to take remedial measures to eliminate manual scavenging.

The Centre has set up the National Safai Karamchari Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The Corporation provides loans at a concessional rate of interest to target groups through State Channelising Agencies in 27 States and Union Territories and NGOs. The corporation has disbursed a cumulative sum of Rs. 212.07 crore till the end of 2004-05. It includes a sum of Rs. 33.60 crore disbursed under micro credit finance including loan component for implementation of national scheme for liberation and rehabilitation of scavengers (upto 2002-03). During 2004-05, the Corporation disbursed loans amounting to Rs. 43.77 crore to 9,539 beneficiaries.

Source: The Press Information Bureau