Maha govt to implement time bound plan to end manual scavenging by providing funds: Dy CM Ajit Pawar
Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday announced in the state Assembly that the government will implement a time bound programme to completely stop manual scavenging and cleaning of sewer pipelines across Maharashtra, by providing machines to do the work.
He also assured the House that the government will make available necessary funds for the same and there would not be a problem in the implementation of this also from the humanitarian point of view.
Dy CM Pawar told the House that he will request Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to convene a meeting soon to discuss this and also to provide homes to the employees engaged in scavenging and clearing of pipelines.
He intervened during Question Hour when member Atul Bhatkhalkar demanded that the time bound programme was necessary to completely discontinue manual scavenging in Maharashtra.
Earlier, Social and Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat said that as per the survey conducted by the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) in 2018, a total of 6,378 people through applications declared that they were engaged in manual scavenging in Maharashtra.
NSKFDC has deposited Rs 40,000 each to Yes Bank accounts of 6,324 people who declared that they were involved in manual scavenging. The process of transfer of funds in the remaining accounts is underway.
Between 2021 and 2024, in all 18 people died while clearing manholes and pipelines across the state which included five in Parbhani District, 1 in Satara District, 10 in Pune District and 2 in Thane. There have been zero deaths in Mumbai.
Police are taking necessary action in connection with accidental deaths while clearing manholes and pipelines.
The minister said that the Urban Development Department through government decisions dated March 5, 2018 and May 3, 2024 has issued instructions to all civic bodies to conduct cleaning of safety tanks and underground sewers through machines or robotic systems.
Accordingly, the Social Justice Department has so far made available Rs 100 crore to the Urban Development Department for this purpose. The Urban Development Department is in the process of purchasing 414 suction cum jetting vehicles. He added that a total of Rs 500 crore would be spent for this purpose.
Minister Shirsat further stated that from the period between 1993 and 2022 a total of 78 people died while cleaning septic tanks and sewers, of which the government has paid compensation to the kin of 74 deceased people. The compensation was not paid to remaining four families as the information regarding the next of kin of the deceased was not available with the government.
Furthermore, the minister said the government through the decision dated April 30, 2025 has increased the compensation to the kin of deceased scavengers to Rs 30 lakh from Rs 10 lakh and for those who became permanently disable to Rs 20 lakh from Rs 10 lakh.
When Sudhir Mungantiwar asked whether the government will provide the increased compensation to the families of those who lost their lives between 2021 and 2024, the minister replied that the government will look into it.
–IANS
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