Centre asks states to identify manual scavengers

The Centre has asked states and Union Territories to verify Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC), 2011 to identify manual scavengers for their rehabilitation, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

Union Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot said this in response to queries if the SECC mentions number of manual scavengers in the country and whether 'Skill India' initiative had initially listed scavenging as a job profile and what measures Government has taken to move people out of the profession. Gehlot said, according to Union Rural Development Ministry, a total of 1,82,505 respondent households had identified themselves as manual scavengers during the SECC survey.