Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar, chaired the tenth meeting of the Central Monitoring Committee (CMC) on 22.08.2025 to review the implementation of the "Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013" (MS Act, 2013);

The "Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013", an important Central Act, was enacted by the Parliament in September, 2013 and has come into force in December, 2013.  It aims at complete elimination of the manual scavenging in its various manifestations and comprehensive rehabilitation of the identified manual scavengers. As per “The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013)”, CMC is to monitor and advise the Central Government and State Government for effective implementation of this Act and related laws and programmes; co-ordinate the functions of all concerned agencies and look into any other matter incidental to or connected with implementation of this Act.

The meeting was attended by Shri Mithilesh Kumar, Hon’ble Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Members of CMC Shri Bhagwat Prasad Makwana, Smt. Anjna Panwar, Shri Ram Singh Balmiki, Ms. Abha Kumar, Shri Nand Jee Mishra, Shri R.M. Sriram & Shri Chaman Tulsyan. Secretary, DoSJE and Officers of States and UTs and representatives from the Central Ministries/ Departments/ Commissions also attended the meeting.

Some of the points of discussion are as under: -

• With the conversion of the most of the insanitary latrines into sanitary latrines under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the problem of manual scavenging has been eliminated.
• The main focus is on ensuring mechanised cleaning of sewers and septic tanks with protective gear and observance of requisite safety precautions to achieve the objective of National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme of zero fatality in sanitation work and no sanitation worker come in direct contact with human faecal matter.
• Waste pickers engaged in solid waste management chain has been added as additional target group under NAMASTE scheme since 2024-25.

Achievement Under NAMASTE Scheme

• 86,806 Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) have been profiled and validated in 4800+ Urban Local Bodies. Out of this validated SSWs, PPE kits have been provided to 76,731 SSWs; Ayushman Cards have been provided to 58,583 beneficiaries; 639 Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs) have been established; 604 Responsible Sanitation Authorities have been appointed and helpline number have been made operational in 346 ERSUs.
• Out of 96,255 profiled waste pickers engaged in Solid Waste Management, 46,245 have been validated.
• In compliance of Hon’ble Supreme Court order dated 20.10.2023 in WP (C) No. 324/2020, 696 districts have completed the fresh survey and declared themselves manual scavenging free. Further, enhanced compensation is being paid to the sewer victims.
• Govt has enhanced the upfront capital subsidy for sanitation related projects / vehicles from existing Rs. 5.00 lakh to Rs. 7.50 lakh to individuals and from Rs. 18.75 lakh to Rs. 25.00 lakh to a group of maximum 5 person (maximum upfront capital subsidy upto Rs. 5.00 lakh for each). Private Sanitation Service Operators / Private contractors have also been made eligible for upfront capital subsidy for sanitation related projects / vehicles upto 25% of the project cost or Rs. 10.00 lakh whichever is minimum.
• Committee observed that some of the States have not constituted the various Committees stipulated in MS Act, 2013 and MS Rules, 2013;   not completed the fresh survey of manual scavengers and not furnished the report of State Level Survey Committee. Committee also shown concern about loss of precious life of Safai Karmacharis during hazardous cleaning of Sewer and Septic Tanks.
• The Committee advised all concerned to take necessary action towards mechanised cleaning of Sewer and Septic tanks to achieve the target of NAMASTE scheme of zero fatality in sanitation work and no sanitation worker come in direct contact of human faecal matter. It also advised to ensure full compliance of Hon’ble Supreme Court order dated 20.10.2023 in WP (C) filed by Dr. Balram Singh.

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KV

(Release ID: 2159858)