Haryana CM assures insurance for manual scavengers

“The sanitation work is mechanized now and manual scavengers are not required for cleaning of sewers. But in case manual scavengers are employed, they will get insurance of ₹10 lakh, whose premium will be paid by the state government. In case of a casualty, the family will get a compensation of ₹10 lakh,” said Manohar Lal Khattar.

Addressing sanitation workers of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), on the occasion of Independence Day, at the PWD rest house in Rajiv Chowk, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that manual scavengers will be provided insurance of ₹10 lakh, the premium for which will be paid by the state government.

Addressing sanitation workers of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), on the occasion of Independence Day, at the PWD rest house in Rajiv Chowk, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that manual scavengers will be provided insurance of ₹10 lakh, the premium for which will be paid by the state government. (Keshav Singh/HT)

“The sanitation work is mechanized now and manual scavengers are not required for cleaning of sewers. But in case manual scavengers are employed, they will get insurance of ₹10 lakh, whose premium will be paid by the state government. In case of a casualty, the family will get a compensation of ₹10 lakh,” said Khattar.

A senior officer with the district administration said, “Until now, there has been no scheme to provide insurance to manual scavengers. But in 2014, the Supreme Court directed all states to give ₹10 lakh as compensation to the family member of all those who have died while working in sewers and septic tanks since 1993.”

The CM also gave a cheque of ₹2.95 crore to the MCG workers as a one-time payment of dress allowance for five years. “The amount of ₹17,000 will be disbursed to the account of the 1,756 sanitation workers that are on roll with the MCG. We had promised to provide sanitation workers dress allowance, considering that we are giving onetime payment of dress allowance for five years,” Khattar said.

Khattar said workers should unanimously select a contractor from among themselves. “The solution to the problem of sanitation workers can be in appointing a worker as their contractor, who has experience of five to 10 years. The elected contractor should ensure all workers receive benefits and salaries on time,” said Khattar, asking the workers present there to think about the proposal.

Earlier in the day, Captain (retd) Abhimanyu, state’s finance, revenue, excise and taxation, planning, consolidation, rehabilitation, law and legislative minister, who was the chief guest at the Independence Day celebrations at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, talked about the online availability of central and state government schemes. “We have provided e-connectivity facility by connecting 6,188 gram panchayats with the optical fibre network. In 176 villages, Wi-Fi facility has already been started,” said Abhimanyu.