Recent Court Verdicts Supreme Court ruling on Manual Scavenging Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice S.R. Bhat held the Union and States duty-bound to the pledge to completely eradicate manual scavenging through the stringent implementation of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. The court enhanced the compensation payable for sewer deaths to ₹30 lakh from the earlier ₹10 lakh. Note Manual Scavenging was banned in India since 1993 with the introduction of Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993 Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. Supreme Court had reinforced the prohibition and directed the rehabilitation of people, engaged in the manual scavenging in its judgment in Safai Karamchari Andolan and others vs. Union of India. National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) was constituted in 1993 under NCSK Act, 1993 Govt – Welfare oriented Govt schemes, their utility Vishwakarma Scheme launched in TN The Vishwakarma scheme has been launched in 7 districts of Tamil Nadu and 9 thousand 246 beneficiaries have registered so far to benefit from the scheme. About Vishwakarma scheme Launch - September 17, 2023. Central Sector Scheme Objective - To support artist, craftsman and small business owner financially and help them to grow their business by providing them capital support. Nodal Ministry - Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise. The scheme offers collateral free enterprise development loans of ₹1 lakh (first tranche to be repaid in 18 months) and ₹2 lakh (second tranche to be re paid in 30 months). Scope and Coverage: It encompasses 18 traditional trades in both rural and urban areas. Note The Tamil Nadu government has constituted a five member committee headed by J. Jeyaranjan to study the guidelines of the Union government’s Vishwakarma scheme.
