9th July, 2003
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment  


SOCIAL JUSTICE MINISTRY ALLOCATION RS. 40 CRORE FOR REHABILITATION OF SCAVENGERS


The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has allocated Rs. 40 crore for liberation and rehabilitation of scavengers during the current financial year. The centre has since 1991-92 released Rs. 712.14 crore to various state and union territories under the National Scheme of Liberation and Rehabilitation of Scavengers. The objective of the scheme is to liberate the scavengers and their dependents from the traditional demeaning occupation of manually removing nightsoil and filth and engage them in dignified occupations. The scheme provides for their training upto 6 months in training institutes run by Central and State Governments, local bodes and NGOs. The scavengers are provided a monthly stipend of Rs. 500/-, training fee of Rs. 300/- per month and a tool kit allowance of Rs. 2000/-. The centre meets the full cost of the training. For rehabilitation, the projects costing upto Rs. 50,000 per beneficiary are financed both by the centre and state governments under a financial package. Under it, 50 percent subsidy upto a ceiling of ten thousand rupees per project is provided. 15% of the project cost is met through Margin Money Loan which is shared by the central and state governments in the ratio of 49:51. Rest of the project cost is met through loans from National Safai Karmachari Finance and Development Corporation and banks.

In order to speed up the rehabilitation process of scavengers. The concept of Sanitary Marts was extended to the scheme. The basic thrust of the Mart is to bring scavengers together into groups of 25 to 30 persons each group. The sanitary Mart functions as a commercial unit dealing in sanitary items including manufacturing some of them. More than 4 lakh scavengers out of an estimated 6.76 scavengers have been rehabilitated so far.