PUNE, March 25: Labour Minister Sabir Shaikh today stated that the saffron alliance government was totally committed towards the education of children who work as ragpickers to make ends meet and if required would also open special schools for this purpose.Sabir Shaikh was speaking at the inauguration of the state level convention of ragpickers organised by the Kagad, Kach, Patra, Kashtakari Panchayat at the Ganesh Kala Krida Kendra here.Responding to an earlier demand by labour leader Baba Adhav, the minister said that it was the responsibility of the state government to lend financial assistance to the ragpickers and assured finance through credit societies. He also requested Adhav to come up with proposals for needy ragpicker families towards their old age.Adhav, in his presidential address insisted on loans for credit societies, childrens' education, old age schemes and identiity cards for the ragpickers.Pune has more than 800 ragpickers. Over 1.5 lakh families subsist by selling scrap.
