Mainstreaming
the Marginals
Though India
The NSKFDC is under the Central
Government has an authorised share
capital of 200 crore rupees. The
main function of the NSKFDC is to act as an apex body for all round
Socio-economic upliftment of
theSafai Karamcharis and
their dependents throughout India
The mission of NSKFDC is to empower the Safai Karamcharis,
Scavengers and their dependents to break away from their traditional
occupation, depressed social conditions and poverty and help them to work their
own way up the social and economic ladder, with dignity and pride.
Since the inception of NSKFDC nearly two lakh 49 thousand people have benefitted.
Financial assistance is provided in the form of 100 per cent grants to the
State Channelising Agencies (SCAs) and Central and State
Government and their training agencies
These agencies provide skills and
entrepreneurial development of Safai Karamcharis and
their dependants for taking up income generating activities in industry,
service and business sector.
Grants can be
provided upto a maximum of Rs. 1.00 lakh per project for :
· Institutional Linkages Programme (lLP)
· Skill up-gradation Training Programme (STP)
· Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP)
The skill upgradation and training is provided in
Agricultural and Allied Activities that ranges from setting up of a bio gas
plant to mushroom cultivation and handling equipmentor horticulture
etc.
Upgradation of training is also provided to take up
occupation of artisans and other traditional occupations that includes stone work, handicraft and even wood
carving. They are also provided financial assistance and training to set up small business and industries in a
large number of areas .
Among the beneficiaries is Manoj Kumar from Gaziabad district. He acquired the skill of
making bamboo goods but he did not have enough money to start his own business.
He took a loan of 20,000 rupees under one of NSKFDC schemes,
today he is happy with the progress in his life. The main features of the
various schemes and programmes include:
Term loan for starting any kind of income
generating activities:
This includes projects costing uptoRs.5.00 lakhs at the
interest rate of 6% per annum.
Micro Credit Finance: For taking up any sundry income earning activities MCF is
provided upto the extent of Rs. 25,000 per borrower at 5%
interest and at 4% for women borrower.
Education loan: Term loan is provided to students for technical and
professional courses of graduation and higher levels upto the extent of Rs.3.00 lakhs per student or Rs.75,000/-
per year at the interest rate of 6% per annum.
Sanitation related economic activities: For a more scientific and hygienic approach to removal and
disposal of garbage so that there is no direct contact with garbage and
unhygienic substances thereby lowering the exposure of the sanitation worker to
hazardous and unhealthy conditions.
Loan to the tune of 10 lakh rupees is provided for starting
sanitation related income generating activities. They may include a mechanized
garbage disposal work, mechanized soak pit cleaning work, pay and use toilets
facilities, etc.
Training Programmes: Because of the prevailing social scenario most persons from
this community are devoid of any skills other than scavenging and sweeping
work. In most of the cases the youth belonging to this community would be the
first generation entrepreneurs and therefore invariably require training. They
may take up training in trades, skill up-gradation and entrepreneurial
development. The entire cost of training including costs of fees, stipend, raw
materials, tools and boarding charges if it is a
residential course is provided by NSKFDC as grant to the SCA upto Rs.1.00 lakh per project. Further, for those
wishing to start self-employment ventures, the SCAs are expected to provide
loan to them on completion of their training. Launching of Awareness programmes is also an important component of the strategy to empower these people.
Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation
of Manual Scavengers
The objective of the scheme is to assist
the scavengers which are yet to be rehabilitated in a time bound manner. Under
the scheme the beneficiaries are allowed to avail second and subsequent loan
from banks if required, without capital subsidy and interest subsidy and other
grants under the scheme.
Both Micro Financing (Upto Rs.25000/-) and Term Loan (Upto Rs.5.00 lakh ) will be provided at concessional rates
of interest. Micro financing will also be done through Self Help Groups (SHGs)
and reputed Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs). The beneficiaries are free
to select any viable income generating self employment project.
Implementation Period
The State Channelising Agencies (SCAs) distributes the funds
received from NSKFDC or any other identified agency at apex level within a
period of three months to the beneficiaries. Since
the scavengers will be rehabilitated in non-traditional professions, they will
require training to acquire new skills and entrepreneurship capabilities. This
can be given by government agencies or institutes as well as by reputed
specialized training agencies. The average training cost has been taken as
Rs.14,000/- per beneficiary, which includes provision
for training fee, kits and stipend to trainees.
Jayanti Bai Dumar, a resident of Purvi Bhatta Mohalla, in Katni district of Madhya Pradesh was doing
the wok of manual scavenging five years back
and her income was only 12,000 in a year. She wanted to get away from this
inhuman work and set up her own business. She took a loan of Rs. 50,000 under
the schemes of NSKFDC for painting work. Now she is able to earn 30,000 a year.
The money may not be much but at least she is leading a life with pride and dignity.
But it is unfortunate that even today a
large number of people are still engaged in the inhuman and shameful practice
of manual scavenging. According to the findings of the Census 2011, there are
around 13lakh insanitary
latrines of which some were serviced by humans and others by animals. As
Minister for Empowerment and Social justice Mr Mukul Wasnik himself
said that if such latrines are there, it means that there is bound to be manual
scavenging”. This means that the actual number of people involved in manual
scavenging is much more than earlier estimated .
With the new revelation of the Census
2011 the government will have to find the extent of the problem and finalise a strategy to address this very
serious and urgent issue. The Government is thinking of bring a new law on
manual scavenging
.
But till the time these insanitary
latrines are there the problem will remain and for manual scavenging to be
completely eradicated each of those involved in this inhuman practice will have
to rehabilitated.
It is only after this is done that the
objective of bringing them up the social and economic ladder with pride and
dignity will be achieved.
No comments:
Post a Comment