Approval to changes in scavenging legislation

The union cabinet Wednesday approved changes in the anti-manual scavenging legislation to make it more effective, official sources said. The bill would be introduced in parliament.

The proposed changes in the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Bill, 2012 include defining the terms "insanitary latrine" and "manual scavenger" taking into account whether the human excreta is fully decomposed or not, an official said.

Further, there is a provision of survey of such manual scavengers and it has been decided the eligibility criteria for such identification would be defined in the rules to bring objectivity in the selection process, the official said.

There is also a provision in the bill to set up vigilance panels in district and sub-division and monitoring panels at state and central levels, said the sources.

It has also been proposed to provide mandatory representation to women in these committees.