Lok Sabha Question No. 126 (STARRED), answered on 2021-12-07
Subject: Manual Scavenging
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Srinivas Kesineni

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO.*126 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.12.2021

## MANUAL SCAVENGING

*126. SHRI KESINENI SRINIVAS:

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

- (a) whether there is an official estimate of the number of manual scavengers in the country and if s0, the details thereof; State-wise;
- (6) whether it is true that the Government has not been able to achieve the target of abolition of manual   scavenging as prescribed by the Prohibition of Employment as Manual  Scavengers   and Rehabilitation Act; 2013 and if So, the reasons therefor;
- whether many manual scavengers have benefited from the Self   Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers and if the details thereof; Statewise; SO,
- whether the Ministry maintains a Statewise details thereof and if not; the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the measures taken to avoid hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(DR VIRENDRA KUMAR)

(a)to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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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

(6): 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 0f, 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 no existence of insanitary latrine has been verified  Therefore, there is no report of practice of manual scavenging currently in the country. No, App;

(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): Sir. Sanitation is state subject and no such database is maintained centrally by this Ministry. No,

(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 Ecosystem 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 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. septic

In addition; the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has also taken the following steps to avoid hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks:-

- Under Swachhta   Udyami Yojana of National Safai Karamcharis Finance and   Development & their dependants and the Urban Local Bodies & other agencies responsible for cleaning, for procurement of sanitation related instrumentslvehicles
- 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 instrumentslvehicles for mechanized cleaning of sewers and tanks: septic
- iv. A short duration training programme (RPL) is organised for the sanitation workers wherein are trained in safe and mechanised cleaning practices they
- 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 tanks: septic

Annexure-I referred in reply to part (a) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 126 for answer

| S: NO.   | Name of StatelUT   | No. of Manual Scavengers Eligible and OTCA paid   |
|----------|--------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| 9        |                    |                                                   |
|          | Andhra Pradesh     | 1793                                              |
|          | 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                                             |

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Annexure-II referred in reply to part 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 StatelUT   | No: of Manual Scavengers Eligible and OTCA paid   | No. of beneficiaries released Capital Subsidy   | Skill Development Training Coverage__   |
|---------|--------------------|---------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| 1.      | A&N Islands        |                                                   | 11*                                             |                                         |
| 2.      | Andhra Pradesh     | 1793                                              | 56                                              | 252                                     |
| 3.      | Assam              | 3921                                              | 0                                               |                                         |
| 4.      | Bihar              | 131                                               |                                                 | 18                                      |
| 5.      | Chhattisgarh       | 3                                                 |                                                 | 0                                       |
|         | Gujarat            | 105                                               |                                                 | 19                                      |
|         | Haryana            | 0                                                 |                                                 | 0                                       |
| 8_      | Jharkahand         | 192                                               | 3                                               |                                         |
| 9.      | Karnataka          | 2927                                              | 294                                             | 349                                     |
| 10.     | Kerala             | 518                                               |                                                 | 314                                     |
| 11_     | Madhya Pradesh     | 510                                               |                                                 | 98                                      |
| 12.     | Maharashtra        | 6325                                              |                                                 | 1490                                    |
| 13.     | Odisha             | 230                                               |                                                 | 62                                      |
| 14.     | Punjab_            | 231                                               |                                                 |                                         |
| 15.     | Rajasthan          | 2673                                              |                                                 | 952                                     |
| 16.     | Tamilnadu          | 398                                               |                                                 | 29                                      |
| 17.     | Telangana          |                                                   | 8*                                              |                                         |
| 18.     | Uttar Pradesh      | 32473                                             | 779                                             | 12155                                   |
| 19.     | Uttarakhand        | 4988                                              | 74                                              | 1670                                    |
| 20.     | West Bengal        | 680                                               | 97                                              | 231                                     |
|         | Total              | 58098                                             | 1575                                            | 18226                                   |

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