Govt paid Rs 10 lac compensation each to 210 dead sewer

The government has given a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each since 1993 to 210 families whose members died due to cleaning of sewer or septic tanks, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

Replying to Supplementaries during Question Hour, Social Justice and Empowerement Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot said the government has been giving Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the families of the dead sewer workers as per the Supreme Court verdict of 1993.

"So far, 331 people have died. Out of which, the compensation was given to 210 families," he added.

The Minister informed that a survey on it, which began in December 2013, is still on and is being conducted in 166 districts in 17 states.

He said that the government was rehabilitating sewer workers in the country. The government has provided skill training to 13,585 people and given Rs 950 crore help for them so far.

To another query on non-release and misappropriation of funds under the post-matric scholarship scheme for scheduled castes, especially in Punjab, the Minister said the central scheme is being implemented by state governments.

He said that Punjab government has ordered a special audit of all educational institutions under this scheme and has received the report from 2059 institutions out of 3606 till October 2018.

"The audit report have been sent to the concerned institutions for their comments and reply," the minister said in his written reply.

For the current fiscal, the central government has released Rs 327.39 crore for the post-matric scholarship scheme to SC students.

No community has been specified as scheduled tribes in Punjab, he added.