Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot launched a Mobile Application “Swachhata Abhiyan” in the presence of Ministers of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Ram Das Athawale and Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar in New Delhi today. In the absence of any authentic data base regarding the location of insanitary latrines, it has been decided to seek the help of NGOs, Social Organisations and general public for collection and compilation of the data. A mobile application “Swachhata Abhiyan” has been developed for this purpose.This mobile application can be downloaded from the ‘Google Play Store’ free of cost.

Addressing on the occasion, Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot said that this mobile application “Swachhata Abhiyan” has been developed to identify and geotag the data of insanitary latrines and manual scavengers so that the insanitary latrines can be replaced with sanitary latrines and rehabilitate all the manual scavengers to provide dignity of life to them. The mobile application can be downloaded from the ‘Google Play Store’ on your mobiles. He urged all citizens of the country to download the above application and if they notice any insanitary latrine or manual scavenger, their details may be uploaded using the application.

He said that Census 2011 reported Existence of more than 26 Lakh insanitary latrines in the country. Existence of insanitary latrines is the main reason for manual scavenging. “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013”mandates survey of insanitary latrines, their demolition and construction of sanitary latrines in their place.Government has been implementing Swachh Bharat Mission for identification of insanitary latrines and construction of sanitary latrines in their place.

He said that more than 9 crore sanitary latrines have been constructed under Swachh Bharat Mission. The country has been declared as open defecation free. More than 66 thousand manual scavengers have been identified since 2013-14 through surveys by the States and also through a National survey in 194 districts. More than 57 thousand manual scavengers who have submitted bank account details have been paid onetime assistance of Rs. 40,000/- each. The manual scavengers and their dependents are also provided skill training with monthly stipend of Rs.3000/- and subsidy upto Rs.3,25,000/- on loans taken by them for self- employment projects.

Shri Gehlot expressed his concern that there have been reports from social organisations about existence of insanitary latrines and manual scavengers in some isolated parts of the country. Government is determined to identify all such insanitary latrines and manual scavengers and make the country insanitary latrine and manual scavenger free at the earliest.

Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar in his address said that despite construction of large number of sanitary latrines under Swachh Bharat Mission, there have been reports from social organisations about existence of insanitary latrines and manual scavengers in some isolated parts of the country.Government is determined to identify all such insanitary latrines and manual scavengers and make the country insanitary latrine and manual scavenger free at the earliest.

In his address Shri Ram Das Athawale said that Census 2011 reported existence of more than 26 Lakh such insanitary latrines in the country.Construction/ maintenance of insanitary latrines and engagement of persons for manual scavenging is prohibited under“Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013” from 6^th December, 2013. This Act also mandates the local authorities to ensure survey of insanitary latrines, their demolition and construction of sanitary latrines in their place.

Traditionally persons of a section of the society has been engaged or employed to clean undecomposed excreta from the dry latrines and latrines from which excreta is flushed into open drains. Such workers are called manual scavengers. Existence of the above mentioned type of insanitary latrines has been the main reason for manual scavenging. Census 2011 reported existence of more than 26 Lakh such insanitary latrines in the country.Construction/ maintenance of insanitary latrines and engagement of persons for manual scavenging is prohibited under“Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013” from 6.12.2013. This Act also mandates the local authorities to ensure survey of insanitary latrines, their demolition and construction of sanitary latrines in their place.

Most of the insanitary latrines have been converted into sanitary latrines under the Swachh Bharat Mission implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and he Department of drinking water and Sanitation in urban and rural areas respectively. The country has been declared open defecation free.

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NB/SK/jk/MoSJ&E/24.12.2020