Delhi CM felicitates manual scavengers
NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday felicitated trainees of the first batch of skill development in Delhi for 50 identified manual scavengers and dependents in Shahdara district at the District Collector's office, Nand Nagri in Trans Yamuna area.
Felicitating the trainees of the programme, Kejriwal focused on the implementation of the project and appreciated the efforts of the District Magistrate (Shahdara and East). He mentioned that the move was small but it has a great potential. As it was a pilot project in Shahdara, it will be implemented in other districts too.
On other hands, a section of Delhi BJP leaders and workers waved black flags at Kejriwal and raised slogans against him in Nand Nagri where he had gone to attend an official function.
The skill development programme for manual scavengers was launched on August 24 by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the presence of Member of Parliament Shatrughan Sinha, Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam, civil servants and NGOs at the same venue.
Gautam said Delhi is perhaps the first state to have state monitoring committee, vigilance committee and survey committee to ensure the proper implementation of the project. In the beginning, a total of 28 manual scavengers were identified in the district who were involved in manual scavenging for the past five to 15 years. The educational qualification of these identified manual scavengers ranged from illiteracy to B Com (H) with an average salary of Rs 2,000 a month to Rs 8,000 a month and aged between 18 and 60 years.
The training programme was initiated by the District Magistrate to provide an alternative means of livelihood, honour and dignity to manual scavengers. The training was imparted in housekeeping for a period of three months. Trainees were paid a stipend of Rs 1,000 a month with other facilities and assured job in the housekeeping sector with minimum wages.
The training of manual scavengers and their dependents was organised in collaboration with Centre for Advocacy and Research, Action Aid, Mahila Pragati Manch and Sadik Masih Medical Social Servant Society.
