Odisha govt launches social security scheme for sanitation workers
The scheme ‘Garima’ was launched by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik
Aim of the scheme to promote livelihoods, security and social dignity of sanitation workers and their families.
The scheme dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi by CM Naveen Patnaik
The Odisha government scheme for sanitation workers, institutionalizing and regulating core sanitation services to provide social security and financial benefits to the workers and their families.
Garima launched with a dedicated corpus fund of Rs 50 crore, the scheme will be implemented in all the 114 urban local bodies of Odisha, a senior official said.
SOCIAL STIGMA
Manual scavenging has been the starkest example of discrimination in the name of caste, practised in India, relegating the less privileged to perform sanitation work.
In spite of the nation making several strides in various sectors. these underprivileged people were made to render this invaluable service to the society for generations, deprived of safety, dignity and a decent livelihood, apart from suffering social stigma and exclusion.
Benefits of “Garima”
Under the scheme:
a survey will be undertaken to identify core sanitation job workers across the state and to register them under a database on the Swachh Sahar Odisha portal.
Registration of private sanitation service organisations (PSSOs) with ULBs for authorization will be facilitated and services to certified sanitation workers.
Risk and hardship allowance
Priority in educational institutions
Provision of health and life insurance
90 percent grant as housing assistance and for buying two wheelers
Personal protective equipment and safety devices
The working hours of sanitation workers will be limited to 6 hours per day and their family members covered under a health insurance scheme and would get periodic health check-ups.
The corpus fund ensure ex-gratia payment to compensate sanitation workers in case of partial and permanent disability due to accidents and injury
the Housing and Urban Development has signed an MOU with not-for-profit organisation Urban Management Centre for providing the technical support to implement the scheme.