After Rahul's speech, govt announces schemes for manual scavengers

New Delhi: A day after Rahul Gandhi voiced his concern about manual scavengers, government today announced a slew of measures including houses to them under Indira Awas Yojana and loans with lesser interest rate for the self-help groups run by women liberated from the age-old practice. Addressing a workshop on manual scavengers here, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh and Social Justice Minister Kumari Selja also said that the government would strictly implement the newly-passed legislation prohibiting employment as manual scavengers. [caption id=“attachment_1162991” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AFP. [/caption] They also referred to the commitment made by the Congress party and the UPA government to uplift the people still engaging in the age-old practice. “We will provide loans at an interest rate of three per cent per annum to the SHGs being operated by the women liberated from the manual scavenging,” Ramesh said. If they pay loan on time, their three per cent interest will be refunded, he said. Ramesh said the Union Cabinet has already approved a decision in May to provide loans up to Rs 3 lakh at an interest rate of seven per cent per annum to all the women SHGs operating under the National Rural Livelihood Mission. It would be further lowered to three per cent in case of women who were liberated from the practice, he said. The government’s original scheme is being implemented as a pilot project in 150 districts, including the 82 Naxal affected districts. Admitting that the government’s rehabilitation programmes for the liberated people from the age-old practice is not fast, Ramesh also directed the officials to take speedy measures to provide houses under the Indira Awas Yojana to the people who have left the practice. All these houses will have toilets, he said. Addressing a programme organised by All India Balmiki Federation, Rahul had pointed out that some of the bills passed in Parliament were not named well including the Manual Scavenging Bill was passed. “It should actually be called the Right to Self-Respect Bill,” he had said. PTI