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₹35-40 lakh compensation in case of sanitation worker’s accidental death: Yogi
“Your security is the society’s security, and your honour is the honour of Maharshi Valmiki’s legacy,” he says addressing members of the Valmiki community
LUCKNOW Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said the state government will ensure arrangements are made to provide a compensation of ₹35–40 lakh through banks in case of an unfortunate demise of a sanitation worker on duty due to accident or disaster.
“Your security is the society’s security, and your honour is the honour of Maharshi Valmiki’s legacy,” he said addressing members of the Valmiki community at the Maharshi Valmiki Prakat Diwas function organised at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan.
Adityanath also announced that the state government is bringing major reforms for sanitation and contractual employees. “From now on, sanitation and contractual workers will not be paid through outsourcing agencies. The payment will be made directly by a government corporation into their bank accounts,” he said.
“Sanitation workers will also get a health insurance cover of ₹5 lakh, We will ensure that if any sanitation worker meets with an accident or an unfortunate incident, arrangements are made to provide ₹35–40 lakh through the bank concerned,” he said.
“Around 80,000 home guards in the state have already been covered under this scheme. Now, sanitation workers will also avail these benefits,” the CM added.
Greeting people on the occasion of Maharshi Valmiki Jayanti, the CM lauded Valmiki as a great sage who gave India the timeless epic Ramayan. He added that when Swami Vivekananda went to the Parliament of Religions in Chicago, many foreigners mocked his attire. “In response, Vivekananda said, ‘Your identity is made by your attire. But for us (Indians), our identity is determined by our character,” said Adityanath.
“Those who insult Lord Valmiki also insult Lord Ram,” he said attacking those who resort to casteism for vote bank.
Adityanath alleged that when the SP government came to power in 2012, threats were made to break monuments dedicated to pioneers of social justice.
“Today, these people remember Baba Saheb in every press conference. But when the party (SP) was in power, it changed the name of Kannauj Medical College, which was named after Baba Saheb,” he said.
“Lucknow’s language university was named after Kanshiram Ji. But the Samajwadi Party changed that name too. Saharanpur Medical College’s name was also changed. They (SP) have dual faces and pursue every policy from vote bank angle,” he added.
“When the BJP government was building the Ayodhya airport and PM Modi named it after Maharshi Valmiki, the SP opposed it,” said Adityanath.
The CM also criticised previous governments, saying sanitation workers were exploited during the SP regime and were paid meagre wages. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended the inhuman practice of manual scavenging and ensured every household had a toilet. While giving priority to the Valmiki community, construction of community toilets in every village is underway,” he said.
He urged members of the Valmiki community to educate their children and send them to school. “When your children are educated, they will become leaders in society. No work is small or big. Your contribution to keeping society clean is invaluable,” he said.
Prominent among those present on the occasion were deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, BJP state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, MP Dinesh Sharma, MLC Lalji Prasad Nirmal, former DGP Brijlal and others.
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