|
Minister for Urban Employment & Poverty Alleviation, Kumari Selja today urged state governments to make concerned efforts to achieve the objective of liberation of Scavengers from this demeaning occupation, a reality by the year 2005 itself, two years ahead of the target set by the Planning Commission. She was addressing the delegates at the State Welfare Ministers’ Conference, here today. She said that while the National Action Plan formulated by Planning Commission is aiming at total eradication of manual scavenging by 2007, in view of the Hon’ble President of India’s advice, all efforts will have to be made to ban this inhuman practice by August 2005. The Minister also said that through 17 states & 7 UTs have adopted the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993, still a lot is desired in this direction. She said that there are around 7 lakh scavengers and so far only 58-60% have been rehabilitated.
Kumari Selja also called for total commitment from various departments to develop time bound action plans with thrust an IEC component for awareness creation & proactive role for NGOs. She asked state governments to send new proposals & suggestions for implementing Integrated Low Cast Sanitation programme to convert existing dry latrines to low cost pour-flush latrines and said that state governments reluctance to give guarantee to loans is adversely affecting & delaying liberation of scavengers.
In her inaugural speech, Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, Smt. Meira Kumar said that the continuation of manual scavenging has compounded the practice of untouchability & called for concerted & coordinated efforts by all concerned to achieve the goal of eradication of this inhuman practice. She also announced that the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is working on an Integrated Scheme for freeing Manual Scavengers through self employment by SKFDC and indicated that the government is likely to reverse the decision on transferring the National Scheme of Liberation & Rehabilitation of Scavengers & their dependents, back to the central sector. It may be noted that recently the Planning Commission had decided to transfer this scheme to the states with effect from annual plan 2005-06 to help state governments implement the scheme keeping in view the local conditions and environment.
Secretary, UEPA, Ms. Chitra Chopra in her address said that the Hon’ble Prime Minister himself is monitoring this programme and the Minister of State (I/C), UEPA, Kumari Selja has already written to all Chief Ministers to expedite rehabilitation measures as the implementation is way behind the mark.
HRK/SK
|
