Question : Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers

(a) the number of manual scavengers identified along with the number of such persons rehabilitated during the last three years, State/UT-wise;

(b) the budgetary allocation and details of the expenditure incurred under the Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMSs) during the said period, State/UT-wise;

(c) the total number of dry latrines and number of manual scavengers in their jurisdiction, State/UT-wise;

(d) the reasons for the mismatch of data between the number of manual scavengers and the number of dry latrines;

(e) whether the Government has received requests from various States for financial assistance to eradicate manual scavenging, if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon, State-wise; and

(f) whether the Government has fixed any time-frame to make India free from manual scavenging and if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE)

(a): As per reports received from the States and Union Territories (UTs) there are 12,226 identified manual scavengers. State/UT wise details of the identified manual scavengers and the number of such persons who have been provided rehabilitation benefits under “Self Employment Scheme for the Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers” (SRMS) during the last three years are given in Annexure-I..

(b): A Central Sector “Self Employment Scheme for the Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers” (SRMS) is implemented by the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment for the rehabilitation of manual scavengers. Budget Allocation for SRMS during 2014-15 to 2016-17 is as under:
Sl. No. Financial Year Budget Allocation
(Rs. in Crore)
1 2014-15 448
2 2015-16 470.19
3 2016-17 10
The State-wise details of expenditure incurred on the rehabilitation of identified manual scavengers are given in the Annexure-II.
(c): State-wise details of insanitary latrines including those serviced by humans as per household and houselisting Census-2011 report released by Registrar General of India, are given in the Annexure-III. The Census-2011 did not publish any data regarding manual scavengers.
(d): There has been time gap between the 2011 Census data of insanitary latrines and identification of manual scavenges by the local authorities in States/Union Territories. In the intervening period a number of insanitary latrines have been converted into sanitary latrines under various schemes implemented by the Central and State Governments and also by individual households. The mismatch of data between the number of manual scavengers and the number of dry latrines has been discussed with the States and Union Territories. Village-wise Census-2011 data of insanitary latrines has been provided to the States and Union Territories for reconciliation of data, if necessary by carrying out a resurvey of manual scavengers.
(e): No such request been received from any State/Union Territory. However, a Central Sector Scheme “Self Employment Scheme for the Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers” is implemented for rehabilitation of identified manual scavengers.
(f): Manual scavenging is prohibited under the “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013)” from the date of coming into force of the Act i.e. 06.12.2013. No person, local authority or any agency shall engage or employ, either directly or indirectly, a manual scavenger from the above date and every person so engaged or employed shall stand discharged immediately from any obligation express or implied, to do manual scavenging. Any contravention in this regard is punishable as per the provision of the MS Act, 2013.