ANSWER
MINISTER OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)
(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
*****
Statement referred in reply to part (a) to (e) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 126 for answer on 07.12.2021 raised by Shri Kesineni Srinivas regarding “Manual Scavenging”.
(a): Two surveys have been conducted by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment for the identification of Manual Scavengers during the year 2013 and 2018. As per these two surveys, 58098 eligible manual scavengers have been identified. State-wise details are given at Annexure-I.
(b): No, Sir. Government has been able to achieve the target of abolition of manual scavenging. As per Section 2 (1) (g) of the “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013)”, manual scavenging means manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of, or handling in any manner, human excreta in an insanitary latrine, is prohibited with effect from 6.12.2013. As per the provisions of the Act, two surveys have been conducted for identification of manual scavengers in the country and identified 58098 manual scavengers. All identified and eligible manual scavengers have been provided assistance for their rehabilitation. On 24.12.2020 a Mobile App has been launched to identify exiting insanitary latrines and manual scavengers if any engaged, therein. After field verification of the data uploaded on the App, no existence of insanitary latrine has been verified. Therefore, there is no report of practice of manual scavenging currently in the country.
(c): State-wise details of manual scavengers and their dependants provided benefits under the Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS) are given at Annexure-II.
(d): No, Sir. Sanitation is state subject and no such database is maintained centrally by this Ministry.
(e): The fatal accidents in sewers and septic tanks are due to non compliance of the prescribed safety measures and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). A National Policy on Mechanised Sanitation Eco-system has been formulated and circulated to the States for implementation. This policy, inter-alia, envisages appointment of Responsible Sanitation Authority in each district and a Sanitation Response Unit in each municipality, which shall be fully equipped with necessary machines, devices and vehicles for mechanised cleaning and professionally trained manpower to ensure safe cleaning of sewers and septic tanks. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has made compliance of these requirements as a mandatory condition for release of funds under SBM-U 2.0.
In addition, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has also taken the following steps to avoid hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks:-
i. Under Swachhta Udyami Yojana of National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation, concessional loans are provided to safai karamcharis, manual scavengers & their dependants and the Urban Local Bodies & other agencies responsible for cleaning, for procurement of sanitation related instruments/vehicles.
ii. Under Central Sector Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS), in addition to the manual scavengers, the sanitation workers and their dependants are also provided capital subsidy upto Rs. 5.00 lakh for procurement of instruments/vehicles for mechanized cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.
iii. Workshops are organised in municipalities with the officers, engineers, contractors, sanitation workers etc. of urban local bodies to sensitise them about safe and healthy cleaning practices and mechanised cleaning of sewers & septic tanks.
iv. A short duration training programme (RPL) is organised for the sanitation workers wherein they are trained in safe and mechanised cleaning practices.
*****
Annexure-I
Annexure-I referred in reply to part (a) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 126 for answer on 07.12.2021 regarding Manual Scavenging.
State-wise identified number of Manual Scavengers
S. NO. Name of State/UT No. of Manual Scavengers Eligible and paid OTCA
(1) (2) (3)
1. Andhra Pradesh 1793
2. Assam
3921
3. Bihar 131
4. Chhattisgarh 3
5. Gujarat 105
6. Jharkahand 192
7. Karnataka 2927
8. Kerala 518
9. Madhya Pradesh 510
10. Maharashtra 6325
11. Odisha 230
12. Punjab 231
13. Rajasthan 2673
14. Tamilnadu 398
15. Uttar Pradesh 32473
16. Uttarakhand 4988
17. West Bengal 680
Total 58098
*****
Annexure-II
Annexure-II referred in reply to part (c) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 126 for answer on 07.12.2021 regarding Manual Scavenging.
Number of beneficiaries covered under the Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers as on 30.11.2021
S. NO. Name of State/UT No. of Manual Scavengers Eligible and paid OTCA No. of beneficiaries released Capital Subsidy Skill Development Training Coverage
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
1. A&N Islands 0 11* 0
2. Andhra Pradesh 1793 56 252
3. Assam
3921 0 487
4. Bihar 131 0 18
5. Chhattisgarh 3 0 0
6. Gujarat 105 0 19
7. Haryana 0 2* 0
8. Jharkahand 192 3 34
9. Karnataka 2927 294 349
10. Kerala 518 0 314
11. Madhya Pradesh 510 38 98
12. Maharashtra 6325 2 1490
13. Odisha 230 92 66
14. Punjab 231 41 62
15. Rajasthan 2673 0 952
16. Tamilnadu 398 78 29
17. Telangana 0 8* 0
18. Uttar Pradesh 32473 779 12155
19. Uttarakhand 4988 74 1670
20. West Bengal 680 97 231
Total 58098 1575 18226
*After SFC, the SRMS scheme has been revised suitably with effect from 01.04.2021. Now under SRMS, Sanitation workers and their dependents are also made eligible for capital subsidy for procurement of sanitation related equipments.
*****
Download PDF Files
