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.

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 of, 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 App, no existence of insanitary latrine has been verified. Therefore, there is no report of practice of manual scavenging currently in the country.

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.

Sanitation is state subject and no such database is maintained centrally by this Ministry.

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 Eco- system 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 septic 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.

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

1. Under Swachhta Udyami Yojana of National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation, concessional loans are provided to safai karamcharis, manual scavengers & their dependants and the Urban Local Bodies & other agencies responsible for cleaning, for procurement of sanitation related instruments/vehicles.

2. 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 instruments/vehicles for mechanized cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.

3. 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 & septic tanks.

iv.     A short duration training programme (RPL) is organised for the sanitation workers wherein they are trained in safe and mechanised cleaning practices.

Annexure-I

State-wise identified number of Manual Scavengers