Lok Sabha Question No. 786 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-25
Subject: Issues of Manual Scavengers
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: A. Chellakumar, Kumbakudi Sudhakaran, Amar Singh

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

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.786 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2023

## ISSUES OF MANUAL SCAVENGERS

## 786. DR A. CHELLAKUMAR: SHRI KUMBAKUDI SUDHAKARAN: DR AMAR SINGH:

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

- (a) the budgetary allocations made during the last five years to eliminate manual scavenging;
- (b) whether the Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers has been removed from the budget for the year 2023-24, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- whether an alternative or replacement scheme has been proposed to ensure the continued rehabilitation and empowerment of manual scavengers and if the details thereof;
- the total number of cleaning workers killed in sewers during the last five years; State/UT wise;
- (e) the number of cleaning workers that have been assisted by Swachhta Udyami Yojana (SUY) since the inception of the scheme; State/UT-wise:
- whether the newly found robot Bandicoot* technology is operational and feasible to use pan India; and
- (g) if so, whether the Government has a tangible plan to implement the technology and eliminate manual scavenging in the country; if not, the reasons therefor?

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

(a): Manual scavenging as defined under Section 2 (1) (g) of the "Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013)" is prohibited with effect from 6.12.2013. No person or agency can engage or employ any person for manual scavenging from that date:

The details of Funds allocated for   implementation of Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers during the last five years are aS under:

## (Rs: In Crore)

| Year    |   Funds allocated |
|---------|-------------------|
|         |             85.76 |
| 2019-20 |             99.93 |
| 2020-21 |             30    |
| 2021-22 |             43.31 |
| 2022-23 |             70    |

(b) and (c): The nomenclature of the Scheme has been changed as "National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) from the earlier name of ~Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS).

To tackle hazardous cleaning specially, the Government has formulated a new scheme called ~National  Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem` (NAMASTE) whose objectives are as under:-

- Formalization and Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (MS) and Persons Engaged in Hazardous Cleaning of Sewer and Septic Tank (SSWs).
- ii\_ Promotion of safe and mechanised cleaning of sewers and tanks through trained and certified sanitation workers septic

NAMASTE aims t0 achieve the following outcomes:

- a. Zero fatalities in sanitation work in India
2. b AIl sanitation work to be performed by formalized skilled workers
- C. No sanitation workers to come in direct contact with human faecal matter
4. d\_ Strengthening and capacitating Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs) ensure safe delivery of mechanized sanitation services to
5. Sewer and Septic tank sanitation workers (SSWs) and their dependents also have access to livelihoods by providing capital subsidy for purchase of sanitation related equipments.
- e. Sanitation  workers are collectivized into SHGs and are empowered to run sanitation enterprises
- g. Increased awareness amongst sanitation services seekers (individuals and institutions) to seek  services from   registered Private Sanitation Service Organizations (PSSOs) and skilled & certified sanitation workers only.
- i. Occupational safety training to SSWs:
9. h\_ Extending Health Insurance Scheme benefits   under AB-PMJAY to SSWs & manual scavengers and their family members.

(d): Deaths have occurred in State/UTs due to hazardous cleaning of sewers and tanks and non observance of safety precautions as prescribed under the "Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act; 2013 and MS Rules. 2013". septic

Details of  cleaning workers who have lost their lives due to hazardous   cleaning of sewer/septic tanks during last five years and current year are enclosed in Annexure-I

(e): NSKFDC has released loans of Rs 86.84 Cr t0 the State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs) for procurement of mechanized cleaning equipments/ vehicles to 2509 number of beneficiaries under Swachhta Udyami Yojana (SUY) as on 30.06.2023. A Statement showing Year-wise & State-wise funds disbursed and beneficiary covered to SCAs under Swachhta Udyami Yojana is given at Annexure-LL

Further; Capital  Subsidy of Rs. 22.93 Cr has been released for procurement of 286 units of sanitation  related equipments/ projects by 641 Safai Karamcharis  under SRMS. A statement showing State-wise &  Year-wise details of beneficiaries covered and capital subsidy released under SRMS is given at Annexure-I

f): The requirement to removal of accumulated and deposits at bottom of a manhole; which could cause choking and sewer overflows: Thus local  bodies have been   advised t0 appropriate   manhole de-gritting machines which can be operated without need to enter inside a manhole and also set up an appropriate cleaning periodicity. The need of periodic as well as emergency de-gritting manholes can be completed by adopting much simpler machines easily locally fabricated which will give almost the same. workers. grit acquire

Cities have been advised to use   simple; cost effective mechanical products for management of their manholes and sewers

(g): As per Section 33 of the MS Act, 2013 every local authority and other agency are supposed appropriate technological appliance for cleaning of sewer and tanks. Government has to   promote the use of modern  technology through  financial  assistance. incentives  and otherwise. septic

As per ~Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Rules.2013 (MS Rules, 2013)" it is mandatory for the employer to provide the safety devices and ensure safety precautions as prescribed in the Rules: gear;

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has issued Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for cleaning of sewer and tanks: In addition, to this, NAMASTE scheme is implemented in all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the country as mentioned in parts (b) and (c) above. being septic

*****

Annexure-| referred in reply to part (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 786 for answer on 25.07.2023 regarding Issues of manual scavengers

States/UTs and years wise details of death of persons in sewers and septic tanks during the last five years and current year (2018 to 2023)

| S: No:   | Name of States[UTs   | 2018               | 2019               | 2020               | 2021               | 2022               | 2023               |
|----------|----------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
| S: No:   | Name of States[UTs   | Total No: of death | Total No: of death | Total No: of death | Total No: of death | Total No: of death | Total No: of death |
| 1.       | Andhra Pradesh       | 9                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 3                  |                    |
| 2        | Chhatisgarh          |                    |                    | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  |                    |
| 3 .      | Delhi                | 11                 | 10                 | 4                  | 4                  | 6                  |                    |
| 4        | Dadra Nagar & Haveli | 0                  | 0                  |                    | 3                  | 0                  | 0                  |
| 5        | Gujarat              | 2                  |                    | 8                  | 5                  | 4                  | 3                  |
| 6_       | Haryana              | 6                  | 16                 |                    | 5                  | 17                 |                    |
| 7        | Jharkhand            | 0                  | 0                  | 3                  | 0                  | 0                  |                    |
| 8        | Karnataka            | 9                  | 7                  | 2                  | 5                  | 0                  |                    |
| 9        | Maharashtra          | 5                  | 17                 | 4                  | 8                  | 15                 | 5                  |
|          | Madhya Pradesh       | 0                  | 1                  | 0                  | 5                  | 0                  |                    |
|          | Odisha               | 0                  | 0                  |                    | 2                  | 0                  |                    |
|          | 12 Punjab            | 2                  | 3                  | 0                  | 2                  | 0                  |                    |
|          |                      | 2                  | 5                  |                    | 0                  | 0                  |                    |
|          | Tamil Nadu           | 9                  | 15                 |                    | 5                  | 13                 |                    |
|          | 15| Telangana   | 3                  | 0                  |                    | 4                  | 0                  |                    |
|          | Uttar Pradesh        | 8                  | 26                 | 8                  | 4                  | 8                  |                    |
| 171      | Uttarakhand          | 0                  | 1                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  |                    |
| 18       | West Bengal          | 0                  | 2                  | 0                  | 6                  | 0                  |                    |
|          | Total                | 67                 | 117                | 22                 | 58                 | 66                 | 9                  |

*****

|       |                  | SCA                                                                                          | 2014-15   | 2015-16   |           | 2016-17    | 2017-18   | 2017-18   | 2018-19   | 2019-20      | 2020-21   | 2021-22   | 2021-22     | 2022-23   | 2022-23   | (Rs: In Lac) Total   | (Rs: In Lac) Total   |
|-------|------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|--------------|-----------|-----------|-------------|-----------|-----------|----------------------|----------------------|
| No.   | Name of State/UT |                                                                                              | Fin       | Fin       | Phy       | Fin Phy    | Fin       | Phy       | Fin       | Fin Phy 1383 | Fin       | Fin       | Phy Fin 270 |           | Phy       | Fin                  | Phy                  |
|       | Andhra Pradesh   | Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Castes, Cooperative Finance Corporation Ltd. (APSCCFC)              | 0.00      | 172.25    | 13 807.30 | 207        | 0.00      |           | 0.00      | 4494.75      | 0.00      | 1622.70   | 385.20      | 420       |           | 7482.20              | 2293                 |
|       |                  | Canara Bank                                                                                  | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      |            | 0.00      |           | 0.00      | 0.00         | 17.33     | 0.00      | 0.00        |           |           | 17.33                |                      |
|       | Jammu & Kashmir  | Jek SC, ST & BC Development Corporation Ltd (UKSCDC)                                         | 270.00    | 0.00      | 0.00      |            | 0.00      |           | 0.00      | 0.00         | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00        |           |           | 270.00               | 100                  |
|       |                  | Kerala Gramin Bank (KGB)                                                                     | 0.00      | 76.50     | 10 0.00   |            | 0.00      |           | 0.00      | 0.00         | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00        |           |           | 76.50                | 10                   |
|       | Nagaland         | Nagaland Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (NIDC)                                       | 0.00      | 0.00      | 9.00      |            | 0.00      |           | 0.00      | 0.00         | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00        |           |           | 9.00                 |                      |
|       |                  | Narmada JhabuaGramin Bank (NJGB)                                                             | 0.00      | 112.5     | 0.00      |            | 0.00      |           | 0.00      | 0.00         | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00        |           |           | 112.50               |                      |
|       | Odisha           | Odisha Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribe Development Finance Co- operative Corporation Ltd_ | 76.50     | 0.00      | 0.00      |            | 0.00      |           | 0.00      | 0.00         | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00        |           |           | 76.50                |                      |
|       | Rajasthan        | (OSCDC) Rajasthan Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribe Finance & Development                    | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00      |            | 0.00      |           | 0.00      | 207.90 33    | 0.00      | 0.00      | 119.70      |           | 19        | 327.60               | 52                   |
|       | West Bengal      | Corporation Ltd (RSTFDC) West Bengal SCs, STs & OBCs Development & Finance Corporation       | 0.00      | 0.00      | 87.50     | 25         | 225.00 10 | 0.00      |           | 0.00         | 0.00      | 0.00      | 0.00        |           |           | 312.50               | 35                   |
| Total | Total            | Total                                                                                        | 346.50    | 361.25    | 30        | 903.80 235 | 225.00    | 10        | 0.00      | 4702.65 1416 | 17.33     | 1622.70   | 270         | 504.90    | 439       | 8684.13              | 2509                 |

## Annexure-I

Annexure-III referred in reply to part (e) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 786 for answer on 25.07.2023 regarding Issues of manual scavengers

| State               | No. of Beneficiaries   | Capital Subsidy released   |
|---------------------|------------------------|----------------------------|
| Madhya Pradesh      | 3                      | 9.75                       |
| Total-A             | 3                      | 9.75                       |
| 2021-22             | 2021-22                | 2021-22                    |
| State               | No. of Beneficiaries   | Capital Subsidy released   |
| Andhra Pradesh      | 336                    | 1219.08                    |
| Odisha              | 19                     | 62.43                      |
| Madhya Pradesh      | 42                     | 155.36                     |
| Haryana             | 2                      | 9.88                       |
| Maharashtra         | 2                      | 7.9                        |
| Telangana           | 26                     | 101.85                     |
| A & N Islands       | 11                     | 38.19                      |
| JharKhand           | 5                      | 19.39                      |
| Uttar Pradesh       | 18                     | 64.32                      |
| Total-B             | 461                    | 1678.4                     |
| 2022-23             | 2022-23                | 2022-23                    |
| State               | No. of Beneficiaries   | Capital Subsidy released   |
| Uttar Pradesh       | 14                     | 52.82                      |
| Jharkhand           | 2                      | 7.70                       |
| Andhra Pradesh      | 106                    | 342.28                     |
| Pradesh Madhya      | 32                     | 133.95                     |
| Telangana           | 23                     | 68.53                      |
| Total-C             | 177                    | 605.28                     |
| Grand Total (A+B+C) | 641                    | 2293.43                    |