Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment Takes Action Against Manual Scavenging

There is no report of practice of manual scavenging in any district, stated UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT, SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

Parliament enacted ‘The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013)’, which became effective with effect from 06.12.2013. As per the provisions of the Act, manual scavenging is prohibited and no person or agency can engage or employ any person for manual scavenging from that date. Provisions of the MS Act 2013 mentions that contraveners shall be punishable with fine or imprisonment or with both.

Informing further, the Minister stated in the reply that under the Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS) envisaged for rehabilitation of manual scavengers, the following benefits have been extended:

• One-time Cash Assistance of Rs. 40,000/- per family has been provided to all identified and eligible 58098 manual scavengers.
• Capital Subsidy upto Rs. 5,00,000/- has been provided to 2507 manual scavengers and their dependents to take up alternate self-employment projects.
• Skill Development Training has been provided to 24294 identified manual scavengers and their dependents with a stipend @ Rs. 3,000/- per month during the training period.

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment have requested all districts either to declare themselves free from manual scavenging or upload the data of insanitary latrine and manual scavengers associated with it on “Swachhta Abhiyan” mobile app. However, no credible data has been uploaded on the app so far.