Lok Sabha Question No. 150 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-11
Subject: Manual Scavengers
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL, PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, DHARMENDRA YADAV

## MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 150 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2018

## MANUAL SCA VENGERS

## 150. SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

DR PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE:

SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

## Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  there are reports of deaths of   sanitation workers   despite the fact that   manual scavenging is prohibited by law in the country;
- to take the manual   scavenging sanitation workers;
- whether the socio-economic and caste census of 2011 had identified 1,80,657 households of manual scavengers across the country;
- (d) if s0, whether the working conditions of these sanitation workers have remained virtually unchanged over the years;
- (e) if so, the reasons therefor and the response of the Government thereon; and
- the steps taken by the Government to do away with manual scavenging by taking lessons from other professions that are modernizing themselves with the infusion of technology and skills?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RAMDAS ATHA WALE)

- (a) and (b): There has been no report of death of  sanitation workers due to manual scavenging: However, there have been reports of death of persons while cleaning sewers and tanks. Details of such cases reported by the States are at Annexure: septic

Manual  scavenging is prohibited under "Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act; 2013" (MS Act; 2013) from 06.12.2013, the date of coming into force of the Act This Act also provides for identification of insanitary latrines and their conversion into  sanitary latrines by local  authorities SO as to eliminate the need for manual cleaning of human excreta from insanitary latrines. Ministries of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Housing Union Territories for conversion of insanitary latrines into sanitary latrines in rural and urban areas respectively.

- (c): As per data published on the website of Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC-2011) 168066 persons have declared manual scavenging as their occupation as on 07.12.2018.
- (d) and (e) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing a Central  Sector which identified manual scavengers and their dependents are provided the following rehabilitation benefits to liberate them from manual scavenging:
- (i) Onetime cash assistance of Rs.40,000/- to the identified manual scavenger:
- (ii) for the training period upto two years less   for the identified  manual   scavenger/dependent   family member.
- (iii) Loans upto Rs. 15 lakh for income generating activities with subsidy upto Rs. 3,25,000/- are provided to the identified manual scavenger/dependent family members at concessional rate of  interest of 5%   per annum (4%/ for women) for   projects Rs.25000/- and at the rate of 6% per annum for projects above Rs.25000/-. capital upto

Details of the benefits provided to the identified manual scavengers and their dependents from 2013-14 upto 30.11.2018 are as under:

| Rehabilitation benefits                                                                                    | Number of Beneficiaries   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------|
| Onetime cash assistance to identified manual scavengers  including those identified under National Survey: | 24,853                    |
| Skill Development Training to identified manual scavengers and dependents:                                 | 13,587                    |
| Capital  Subsidy to identified manual scavengers and dependents who have availed loans:                    | 955                       |

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is also implementing & Scheme titled "Pre-Matric Scholarship scheme to the Children of those engaged in occupations involving cleaning and prone to health hazards" Children of manual scavengers are also eligible for this scholarship.

(f): National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) in coordination with Skill Council Green Jobs organizes training of 35 hours duration on usage of mechanized income generation activities to sanitation workers   employed   contractually or ad hoc basis by municipalities: on

NSKFDC also organizes workshops in municipalities for engineers, sanitary inspectors, sanitary workers and contractors on  safe cleaning of sewers and tanks and also create awareness about the provisions of "Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation 2013" (MS 2013) and "Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation  Rules, obligations to provide safety gearlequipment and ensure safety precautions. septic Act, Act,

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Annexure referred in reply to Parts (a) and (b) of Lok Sabha unstarred Question No. 150 for answer on 11.12.2018 regarding manual scavengers.

Details   of cases of death of persons in   sewers/septic tanks  reported by States   upto 30.11.2018

| SL No.   | State         | Number of cases identified/   | Compensation paid                    | Compensation paid    |
|----------|---------------|-------------------------------|--------------------------------------|----------------------|
|          |               | reported                      | Full Compensation of Rs.10 lakh each | Partial compensation |
|          | Tamil Nadu    | 144                           | 141                                  | 0                    |
| 2        | Telangana     | 2                             | 2                                    | 0                    |
| 3        | Punjab        | 32                            | 32                                   | 0                    |
| 4        | Karnataka     | 62                            | 16                                   |                      |
| 5        | Haryana       | 5                             |                                      |                      |
| 6        | Kerala        | 12                            | 0                                    |                      |
| 7        | Rajasthan     | 7                             | 3                                    |                      |
| 8        | Uttar Pradesh | 52                            | 1                                    | 35                   |
| 9        | Delhi         | 15                            | 12                                   | 0                    |
|          | Total         | 331                           | 210                                  | 47                   |