REHABILITATION OF MANUAL SCAVENGERS

Posted On: 18 MAR 2026 5:15PM by PIB Delhi A fresh survey of manual scavengers, as per the provisions of the “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013” has been conducted in all districts of the country under which no Manual Scavenger (MS) has been found. However, 58,098 Manual Scavengers have been identified during two surveys conducted in 2013 and 2018. One-time Cash Assistance (OTCA) @ Rs. 40,000 each have been paid to all the identified MS including 131 MS (0.22%) in Bihar. During 2020-21 to 2024-25, OTCA to 14,692 MS, Skill Development Training to 9,868 MS and Capital Subsidy to 1,524 MS have been given. These details are at Annexure. Some deaths have occurred in States/UTs during hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks due to non-observance of safety precautions as prescribed under the “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013” and “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Rules, 2013” and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme to ensure safety and dignity of sewer and septic tank workers (SSWs) has been launched in 2023-24. Measures taken to enhance worker safety and to promote mechanization under NAMASTE scheme are as under:- Personal Protective Equipment Kits to SSWs. Occupational safety training to SSWs. Safety devices to Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs) in larger Urban Local Bodies. Upfront Capital Subsidy for sanitation related machinery to sanitation workers, their groups of maximum five persons and Private Sanitation Service Operators (PSSOs). Workshops on prevention of hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks. Appointment of Responsible Sanitation Authority. Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 launched on 1st October, 2021 includes a new component i.e. Used Water Management (UWM) with one of the objectives as eradication of hazardous entry into sewers and septic tanks and sustaining elimination of manual cleaning, through mechanization of sewer and septic tank cleaning operations. Annexure Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of the RajyaSabhaUnstarred Question No. 3021 for answer on 18.03.2026 regarding Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers. State-wise details of one time cash assistance, skill training and capital subsidy given to manual scavengers identified in survey conducted in 2013 and 2018 during last 5 years are as under:- S. No. Name of State / UT No. of MS identified during 2013 and 2018 survey Number of Manual Scavengers provided benefits during 2020-21 to 2024-25 OTCA Skill development training Capital subsidy 1 Andhra Pradesh 1793 330 72 0 2 Assam 3921 3051 198 2 3 Bihar 131 0 0 0 4 Chhattisgarh 3 0 0 0 5 Gujarat 105 0 0 0 6 Jharkhand 192 68 0 0 7 Karnataka 2927 1046 326 671 8 Kerala 518 0 12 0 9 Madhya Pradesh 510 169 145 0 10 Maharashtra 6325 718 459 9 11 Odisha 230 11 0 0 12 Punjab 231 9 0 10 13 Rajasthan 2673 232 1094 14 14 Tamil Nadu 398 14 0 3 15 Uttar Pradesh 32473 6267 6584 348 16 Uttarakhand 4988 2775 962 22 17 West Bengal 680 2 16 445 Total 58098 14692 9868 1524 This information is given by the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment,Shri Ramdas Athawale, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today. ***** KV/HK (Release ID: 2241902) Visitor Counter : 699 Read this release in: Urdu , हिन्दी Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment REHABILITATION OF MANUAL SCAVENGERS Posted On: 18 MAR 2026 5:15PM by PIB Delhi A fresh survey of manual scavengers, as per the provisions of the “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013” has been conducted in all districts of the country under which no Manual Scavenger (MS) has been found. However, 58,098 Manual Scavengers have been identified during two surveys conducted in 2013 and 2018. One-time Cash Assistance (OTCA) @ Rs. 40,000 each have been paid to all the identified MS including 131 MS (0.22%) in Bihar. During 2020-21 to 2024-25, OTCA to 14,692 MS, Skill Development Training to 9,868 MS and Capital Subsidy to 1,524 MS have been given. These details are at Annexure. Some deaths have occurred in States/UTs during hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks due to non-observance of safety precautions as prescribed under the “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013” and “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Rules, 2013” and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme to ensure safety and dignity of sewer and septic tank workers (SSWs) has been launched in 2023-24. Measures taken to enhance worker safety and to promote mechanization under NAMASTE scheme are as under:- Personal Protective Equipment Kits to SSWs. Occupational safety training to SSWs. Safety devices to Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs) in larger Urban Local Bodies. Upfront Capital Subsidy for sanitation related machinery to sanitation workers, their groups of maximum five persons and Private Sanitation Service Operators (PSSOs). Workshops on prevention of hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks. Appointment of Responsible Sanitation Authority. Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 launched on 1st October, 2021 includes a new component i.e. Used Water Management (UWM) with one of the objectives as eradication of hazardous entry into sewers and septic tanks and sustaining elimination of manual cleaning, through mechanization of sewer and septic tank cleaning operations. Annexure Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of the RajyaSabhaUnstarred Question No. 3021 for answer on 18.03.2026 regarding Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers. State-wise details of one time cash assistance, skill training and capital subsidy given to manual scavengers identified in survey conducted in 2013 and 2018 during last 5 years are as under:- S. No. Name of State / UT No. of MS identified during 2013 and 2018 survey Number of Manual Scavengers provided benefits during 2020-21 to 2024-25 OTCA Skill development training Capital subsidy 1 Andhra Pradesh 1793 330 72 0 2 Assam 3921 3051 198 2 3 Bihar 131 0 0 0 4 Chhattisgarh 3 0 0 0 5 Gujarat 105 0 0 0 6 Jharkhand 192 68 0 0 7 Karnataka 2927 1046 326 671 8 Kerala 518 0 12 0 9 Madhya Pradesh 510 169 145 0 10 Maharashtra 6325 718 459 9 11 Odisha 230 11 0 0 12 Punjab 231 9 0 10 13 Rajasthan 2673 232 1094 14 14 Tamil Nadu 398 14 0 3 15 Uttar Pradesh 32473 6267 6584 348 16 Uttarakhand 4988 2775 962 22 17 West Bengal 680 2 16 445 Total 58098 14692 9868 1524 This informatio