Lok Sabha Question No. 4031 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-17
Subject: Prohibition of Employment of Manual Scavengers
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Ms Iqra Choudhary

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

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4031 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2026

## PROHIBITION OF EMPLOYMENT OF MANUAL SCAVENGERS

## 4031. MS IQRA CHOUDHARY:

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

- a) the number of sanitation workers and manual scavengers identified in the latest national survey who are yet to receive full rehabilitation benefits under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, classified State-wise, particularly for Uttar Pradesh;
2. (b) the number of sewer and tank deaths reported since 2017 and the compensation actually disbursed to affected families, classified State and district-wise, particularly for Uttar Pradesh; septic
3. (c) the action taken against contractors O civic bodies found in violation of the mechanisation mandate;
4. (d) the number of complaints received by the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis regarding non-payment of wages, denial of safety equipment and caste-based discrimination, classified State-wise and district-wise, particularly for Uttar Pradesh; and
5. (e) the measures   taken to eliminate inter-generational  caste-based  occupation and ensure alternative livelihood, housing, education and social security for sanitation worker families?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme has been launched in 2023-24 to ensure safety and dignity of Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) Components of erstwhile Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS) have been subsumed in NAMASTE scheme  Waste Pickers (WPs) have been added as beneficiary under NAMASTE scheme in 2024-25. As on 12th March; 2026, 89,248 SSWs and 2,34,425 Waste Pickers have been validated under NAMASTE scheme. In Uttar Pradesh, 12,424 SSWs and 35,641 Waste pickers have been validated.

fresh survey of manual scavengers, as per the provisions of the 'Prohibition of Employment as Manual  Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013" has been  conducted in all the districts of the country under which no manual scavenger has been found. However, 58,098 manual scavengers, including 32,473 in Uttar Pradesh, have been identified during the two surveys conducted in 2013 and 2018. the identified manual scavengers and their dependents have been rehabilitated by providing One Time Cash Assistance (OTCA) of Rs 40,000   each: has been   provided to 27,928 manual scavengers and their dependents with stipend Rs. 3,000/- per month during the training period. Upfront Capital  Subsidy upto Rs.5 lakh has also been  provided to 2,679 manual scavengers and their dependents to take up alternate self-employment projects. The State/UTwise details are at Annexure I

(b): As reported by National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK), State-wise details of sanitation workers who lost their lives due to hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks and compensation disbursed to affected families Since 2017 is at Annexure II. District-wise details of Sewer and Septic Tanks deaths and compensation to affected families in Uttar Pradesh is at Annexure III paid

(c): Sanitation is a State subject under the VIIth Schedule of the Constitution of India: Data of action  taken   against   contractors or   civic bodies for violation of SOPslguidelines on mechanization is not maintained centrally.

(d); As reported by NCSK, in the year 2025, 842 complaints, including 130 complaint of Uttar Pradesh; have been received from States/UTs regarding non-payment of wages, denial of safety equipment and caste-based discrimination. Statel UT-wise details are at Annexure IV.

(e): Sanitation is an occupation based activity rather than caste based. Measures taken to enhance worker   safety and ensure full rehabilitation of the sanitation workers under NAMASTE scheme are as under: -

1. Personal Protective Equipment Kits to SSWs and Waste pickers iii. Skill Development training to the identified manual scavengers

- Occupational safety training to SSWs and Waste Pickers.

iv. Safety devices to Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs) in larger Urban Local Bodies:

V groups of maximum five persons and Private Sanitation Service Operators (PSSOs)

vii: Pre matric scholarship to the wards of person involved in unclean occupation.

vi: Workshops on prevention of hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks viii. Health insurance coverage under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and State Health scheme.

Annexure-I referred to in reply to part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4031 for answer on 17.03.2026  regarding Prohibition of Employment of Manual Scavengers:

State-wise details of benefits provided to the identified Manual   Scavengers (MS) are as under:

| S.No   | States          |   Total no of Identified MS |   One-time Cash Assistance | Skill Development Training   | Capital Subsidy for General Projects   |
|--------|-----------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| 1      | Andhra Pradesh  |                        1793 |                       1793 | 252                          |                                        |
| 2      | Assam           |                        3921 |                       3921 | 658                          | 10                                     |
| 3      | BBihar          |                         131 |                        131 | 18                           |                                        |
|        | Chhattisgarh    |                           3 |                          3 |                              |                                        |
| 5      | kGujarat        |                         105 |                        105 | 19                           |                                        |
|        | (Jharkhand      |                         192 |                        192 | 34                           |                                        |
| 7      | Karnataka       |                        2927 |                       2927 | 666                          | 861                                    |
| 8      | Kerala          |                         518 |                        518 | 326                          |                                        |
| 9      | IMadhya Pradesh |                         510 |                        510 | 243                          |                                        |
| 10     | Maharashtra     |                        6325 |                       6325 | 1904                         | 65                                     |
| 11     | JOdisha         |                         230 |                        230 | 66                           | 83                                     |
| 12     | [Punjab         |                         231 |                        231 | 62                           | 46                                     |
| 13     | RRajasthan      |                        2673 |                       2673 | 2174                         | 19                                     |
| 14     | Tamil Nadu      |                         398 |                        398 | 29                           |                                        |
| 15     | Uttar Pradesh   |                       32473 |                      32473 | 18289                        | 879                                    |
| 16     | Uttarakhand     |                        4988 |                       4988 | 2941                         | 96                                     |
| 17     | West Bengal     |                         680 |                        680 | 247                          | 542                                    |
| Total  | Total           |                       58098 |                      58098 |                              | 2679                                   |

Annexure-II referred to in reply to part (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No: 4031 for answer on 17.03.2026   regarding Prohibition of Employment of Manual Scavengers:

State-wise details of sanitation workers who lost their lives due to hazardous cleaning of sewer and tanks and compensation disbursed to affected families since 2017 are as under: septic

| No.   | Name of State UT        |   Deaths | Full Ipaid   | Part Ipaid   | No   | Case   |
|-------|-------------------------|----------|--------------|--------------|------|--------|
|       | Bihar                   |        4 | 4            |              |      |        |
| 2     | IChandigarh             |        3 | 3            |              |      |        |
| 3     | Chhattisgarh            |        5 | 5            |              |      |        |
| 4     | [Dadra and Nagar Haveli |        3 | 3            |              |      |        |
| 5     | Delhi                   |       62 | 53           |              | 9    |        |
| 6     | Goa                     |        1 |              |              |      |        |
| 7     | Gujarat                 |       73 | 70           |              | 2    |        |
| 8     | Haryana                 |       76 | 55           | 8            | 12   |        |
| 9     | IJharkhand              |        1 | 1            |              |      |        |
| 10    | Karnataka               |       28 | 27           |              |      |        |
| 11    | Kerala                  |        1 |              |              |      |        |
| 12    | Madhya Pradesh          |       14 | 11           |              | 2    |        |
| 13    | Maharashtra             |       82 | 68           | 5            |      |        |
| 14    | Odisha                  |        2 | 2            | 1            |      |        |
| 15    | Punjab                  |       25 | 24           |              |      |        |
| 16    | RRajasthan              |       37 | 34           | 3            |      |        |
| 17    | Tamil Nadu              |       77 | 74           |              | 2    |        |
| 18    | Telangana               |       14 | 12           | 1            |      |        |
| 19    | UUttar Pradesh          |       86 | 68           | 2            | 13   | 3      |
| 20    | Uttarakhand             |        3 | 3            |              |      |        |
| 21    | West Bengal             |       25 | 21           | 3            |      |        |
| Total | Total                   |      622 | 539          | 25           | 52   | 6      |

Annexure-III referred to in reply to part (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4031 for answer 17.03.2026   regarding   Prohibition of Employment of Manual Scavengers:

## District-wise details of Sewer and Septic Tanks deaths and compensation to affected families in Uttar Pradesh since 2017 are as under: paid

|       |                  |    | Full Deaths | compensation paid   | Part Compensation paid   | No lcompensation] paid   | Case closed   |
|-------|------------------|----|----------------------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|---------------|
|       | Agra             |  5 | 3                                      | 1                        | 1                        |               |
| 2     | Ambedkar Nagar   |  2 |                                        |                          | 2                        |               |
| 3     | IChandauli       |  4 |                                        |                          | 4                        |               |
| 4     | Gautam Budhnagar | 16 | 8                                      |                          | 6                        | 2             |
| 5     | Ghaziabad        | 18 | 18                                     |                          |                          |               |
|       | Ghazipur         |  2 | 2                                      |                          |                          |               |
| 7     | IJallon          |  1 | 1                                      |                          |                          |               |
| 8     | KKanpur          |  6 | 6                                      |                          |                          |               |
| 9     | [Pilibhit        |  1 | 1                                      |                          |                          |               |
| 10    | Lucknow          |  9 | 8                                      |                          |                          |               |
| 11    | Mathura          |  4 | 4                                      |                          |                          |               |
| 12    | Rae Bareli       |  2 | 2                                      |                          |                          |               |
| 13    | ISitapur         |  6 | 6                                      |                          |                          |               |
| 14    | ISultanpur       |  1 | 1                                      |                          |                          |               |
| 15    | Iahibabad        |  2 | 2                                      |                          |                          |               |
| 16    | Varanasi         |  7 | 6                                      |                          |                          |               |
| Total | Total            | 86 | 68                                     | 2                        | 13                       | 3             |

Annexure-IV referred to in reply to part (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No: 4031 for answer on 17.03.2026   regarding Prohibition of Employment of Manual Scavengers:

Number of complaints received by NCSK during 2025 is as under:

| S.No.   | Name of StatelUT   |   Total no. of complaints |
|---------|--------------------|---------------------------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh     |                        30 |
| 2       | Assam              |                        10 |
| 3       | Bihar              |                        27 |
| 4       | [Chandigarh        |                        30 |
| 5       | Chhattisgarh       |                        25 |
| 6       | Delhi              |                       140 |
| 7       | IGoa               |                         2 |
| 8       | Gujarat            |                        28 |
| 9       | HHaryana           |                        22 |
| 10      | Himachal Pradesh   |                        17 |
| 11      | Jharkhand          |                        15 |
| 12      | Karnataka          |                        10 |
| 13      | Kerala             |                         1 |
| 14      | Maharashtra        |                        95 |
| 15      | [Madhya Pradesh    |                        30 |
| 16      | Odisha             |                        17 |
| 17      |                    |                        11 |
| 18      | [Punjab            |                        25 |
| 19      | Rajasthan          |                        45 |
| 20      | Tamil Nadu         |                        41 |
| 21      | Telangana          |                        33 |
| 22      | Uttrakhand         |                        18 |
| 23      | Uttar Pradesh      |                       130 |
| 24      | West Bengal        |                        40 |
| Total   | Total              |                       842 |

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