11,000 manual scavengers identified in 23 states

The government has identified 11,000 manual scavengers in 23 states while reviewing the implementation of a law prohibiting manual scavenging.
It was also revealed that 4.15 lakh insanitary latrines have, so far, been identified in seven states and survey was still on, an official statement said.
The second meeting of the Central Monitoring Committee was held here today to review the implementation of the "Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013".
It was chaired by Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot.
The Act, enacted by the Parliament in September last year and and came into force in December, aims at complete elimination of manual scavenging in its various manifestations and comprehensive rehabilitation of the identified manual scavengers.

The Minister stressed on expediting the implementation of the Act and also to make the payment of Rs 10 lakh compensation in the cases of sewer deaths which have occurred since 1993, as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court.
According to the government statement, all of the States and UTs have also been be advised to implement the provisions of the Act in time-bound manner.
It said that the process of disbursing onetime cash assistance to identified manual scavengers has been initiated based on the proposals received from the states.