States instructed to speed up elimination of manual scavenging

Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Mukul Wasnik this week instructed state governments to ensure elimination of insanitary latrines and manual scavenging by giving it top most priority.

Speaking at the recently held meetings on rehabilitation of manual scavengers in New Delhi, Wasnik drew the attention of state governments towards the seriousness of twin problems of insanitary latrines and manual scavenging as thrown up by Census, 2011 data.

The objective of the meeting was to sensitize senior officials of 126 districts and states and facilitate preparation of district-wise action plans for time-bound elimination of remaining insanitary latrines and rehabilitation of manual scavengers.

The state governments were informed that the Government of India was in the process of formulating a new law for 'Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation'.

However, it was impressed upon the states to start taking action regarding elimination of insanitary latrines and rehabilitating manual scavengers under the available programmatic interventions.

States were assured of funding under the existing Scheme of Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers, the Total Sanitation Campaign and Integrated Low Cost Sanitation Scheme.

"All the states expressed their commitment towards complete eradication of manual scavenging and rehabilitation of manual scavengers," an official release said.

It was informed that the first meeting covered 60 districts of 8 states and one Union Territory. The second covered 66 districts of 8 states that included Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The meetings were attended by collectors, municipal commissioners, principal secretaries of social welfare, rural development and urban development, among others.

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the National Commission of Safai Karmacharis also participated.