03.07.23

A high-level Government panel of the Union Ministry of Social and Empowerment on Wednesday claimed that with the conversion of most of the insanitary latrines into sanitary latrines under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the problem of manual scavenging has been eliminated in the country.

But at the same time, it admitted that only 508 districts out of the total 766 districts in the country have declared themselves free from the inhuman practice.

This was disclosed at the eighth meeting of the Central Monitoring Committee held on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Dr Virendra Kumar, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment to review the implementation of the Prohibition of EMPLOYMENT as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. The Committee noted that with the conversion of most of the insanitary latrines into sanitary latrines under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the problem of manual scavenging was eliminated. Presently there is no evidence of the continuation of the practice of manual scavenging.

Out of these, 22,294 willing identified manual scavengers/dependants have been provided Skill development training and Capital Subsidy has been released in respect of 2,313 manual scavengers/dependants who have availed bank loans for self-employment projects. In addition to this, 641 Safai Karmacharis and their dependents have been sanctioned capital subsidy for sanitation related projects to minimise death during sewer and septic tank cleaning, the statement further said.

To eliminate hazardous cleaning, stop deaths of sewer and septic tank workers and ensure their safety and dignity, a Scheme National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) has been formulated.

It will be implemented in all 4800 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of the country, during thethree years till 2025-26 with an outlay of Rs. 349.70 crore. (MS Act, 2013). This important Central Act was enacted by the Parliament in September, 2013 and came into force in December, 2014. It aims at complete elimination of the manual scavenging in its various manifestations and comprehensive rehabilitation of the identified manual scavengers.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha aunched India’s first Tele-MANAS Chatbot for the .

The initiative will ensure round-the-clock Services of Health Counsellors, Clinical Psychologists and Consultants.

The Lieutenant Governor also inaugurated the ‘J&K Health Conclave’ on Mental Health and Non-Communicable Diseases at Srinagar. On the occasion, J&K Health and Medical Education Department inked Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre and NIMHANS.

The MoU inked between J&K Health and Medical Education Department and Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre will provide significant technical support to improve cancer care services in the UT and help us to establish Preventive Oncology Service, Day Care Centres and Palliative Care Service at District Hospitals.

Per capita spending on the Health sector in J&K is among the highest in the country. During upgradation or building new Infrastructure, we have focused on three factors- effectiveness, accessibility and resilient system, the Lt Governor said.

In an effort to forge closer DEFENCE ties, the seventh edition of the bilateral Japan-India Maritime Exercise 2023 (JIMEX 23) hosted by the INDIAN NAVY is being conducted at and off Visakhapatnam from July 5-10. This edition marks the 11th anniversary of JIMEX, since its inception in 2012.

JIMEX 23 will witness the participation of INS Delhi, Indias first indigenously built guided missile destroyer, INS Kamorta, an indigenously designed and built anti-submarine warfare corvette, fleet tanker INS Shakti, a submarine, maritime patrol aircraft P8I and Dornier, ship-borne helicopters and fighter aircraft. JMSDF will be represented by the guided missile destroyer JS Samidare and its integral helicopters.