OREANDA-NEWS. The Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Vijay Sampla, inaugurated an Awareness-cum-Loan Distribution Camp organized by the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) at Varanasi on 20.12.2014.

During the Camp about 681 safai Karamcharis from Varanasi and nearby districts of Uttar Pradesh were provided loan sanction letters of Rs.186.37 lacs for various self employment projects as per the choice of the safai karamcharis under Mahila Samridhi Yojana and Micro Credit Finance Schemes.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Vijay Sampla emphasized the need to mechanize the sanitation work so that safety and security of the sanitation workers can be ensued and work is done in a dignified way. While mentioning the relevance of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by the Prime Minister, Shri Sampla appreciated the new Scheme of Swachhta Udyami Yojana launched by the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation on 2nd October, 2014.

The Under the Swachhta Udyami Yojana safai karamcharis and liberated manual scavengers can start ‘Pay and Use’ toilets or take assistance for purchase of sanitation related vehicles. This Scheme has twin objective of swachhta and providing livelihood to safai karamcharis and liberated manual scavengers to achieve the overall goal of “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan”.

The Minister of State also launched another Scheme ‘Sanitary Mart’. Safai Karamcharis can start Sanitary Mart with a total cost upto Rs. 15 lakh for which concessional loan at 4% p.a. would be provided. The marts would sell sanitation related items like phenyl, brooms, soaps, dusters and material used in construction of toilet etc.

Shri Sudhir Bhargava, Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment mentioned that there is a provision of providing capital subsidy upto Rs. 3.25 lakh under these Schemes to each identified manual scavenger. He also informed that under the “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013” manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks has been banned in the country from December 6, 2014.

Present on the occasion were Shri Sudhir Bhargava, Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri M. Nagaraj, Managing Director, NSKFDC, Ms. Pinki Jowel, Managing Director, Uttar Pradesh Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation and Sh. B. C. Tripathi, Chief Regional Manager, Indian Overseas Bank, Shri Bhola Prasad Chairman, Kashi Gomti Samyut Gramin Bank, Shri P. B. Sharma, Chief Manager, Allahabad UP Gramin Bank and representatives of Baroda Uttar Pradesh Gramin Bank and Purvanchal Gramin Bank were present during the Camp.