Bengaluru: BBMP issues ID cards to manual scavengers in bid to rehabilitate them

Over 1,400 manual scavengers identified in a survey will get ID cards and become eligible for various welfare programmes, including student fee reimbursement, housing, skill training, etc.

The court said the survey to identify manual scavengers in all districts of Delhi has to be completed by Nov 24

Manual Scavenger working at Aruna Asaf Ali Road cleaning the sewage in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha.)

Complying with the Centre’s directive, manual scavengers within the limits of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are being issued identity cards. On Thursday, BBMP chief commissioner Gaurav Gupta issued the ID cards to eight such individuals.

In a survey carried out in 2013, 201 manual scavengers within the BBMP limits were identified and given a one-time cash assistance (OTCA) of Rs 40,000 from the central government. The cards will be distributed to 201 manual scavengers through the joint commissioners of the zones concerned. Based on the identity cards, the manual scavengers will be able to avail rehabilitation facilities from the central and the state governments, the State Safai Karmachari Commission and the BBMP.

“The government of India had brought the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Rules, 2013. The BBMP is taking up all necessary steps to bring them and their dependents out of manual scavenging work and to create a convenient environment to lead life by engaging in society-oriented activities,” the BBMP stated in a release.

The civic body said that in a resurvey conducted in 2018-19, as many as 1,424 manual scavengers were identified and their data uploaded to the government of India’s Swachhatha Abhiyan mobile app.

“Facilities will be provided after approval from the central government. All necessary steps will be taken by the BBMP limits so that 1,424 manual scavengers identified by the re-survey in 2018-19 avail benefits. Manual scavengers who will get ID cards are eligible for all welfare programmes, including student fee reimbursement, ‘onti mane’ facility (single-housing scheme), skill training, self-employment and other welfare programmes of the BBMP,” it said.

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