NATIONAL – DAIRY OF EVENTS

Manual Scavenging in India

• Context: Tamil Nadu recorded 38 septic tank, sewer cleaning deaths, the third highest in India in the last five years, said Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment.

About Manual Scavenging

• According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), manual scavenging means cleaning, carrying, disposing of, or handling human excreta manually. This includes:
  • Cleaning dry latrines, Removing human waste from public streets, Cleaning and maintaining septic tanks, sewers, drains, and gutters.

Steps Taken to End Manual Scavenging in India

The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993

• This was the first law to ban manual scavenging.
• It mainly focused on dry latrines.
• A manual scavenger was defined only as a person who manually carried human excreta.
• The Act did not provide proper rehabilitation for workers.
• The punishments were mild, so it was not very effective.

The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation (PEMSR) Act, 2013

• This law replaced the 1993 Act.
• It focused on protecting the dignity, rights, and rehabilitation of manual scavengers, not just cleanliness.
• It provided stronger legal protection and better support for affected workers.

Safai Karamchari Andolan v. Union of India (2014)

• The Supreme Court stressed that manual scavengers must be properly rehabilitated.
• The Court said rehabilitation is necessary to stop both the current and future generations from entering this occupation.

Main Features of the PEMSR Act, 2013

• Completely bans manual scavenging.
• Expands the definition of manual scavengers to include people cleaning:
  • Open drains, Pit latrines, Septic tanks, Manholes, Railway tracks with human waste

• Requires surveys in both rural and urban areas to identify manual scavengers.
• Orders the conversion of insanitary latrines into sanitary toilets.
• Makes it compulsory for employers to provide safety equipment and protective gear to sanitation workers.
• Focuses on rehabilitation by providing:
  • Ready-built houses, Financial assistance, Loans for self-employment and alternative livelihoods

• Declares employment of manual scavengers as a cognizable and non-bailable offence.

Other Measures to Eliminate Manual Scavenging

Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS)

• The scheme was revised in 2013 and provides:
  • One-time cash assistance of ₹40,000 to each identified manual scavenger.
  • Capital subsidy of up to ₹3.25 lakh for self-employment projects costing up to ₹10 lakh.
  • Skill development training for up to 2 years.
  • Monthly stipend of ₹3,000 during the training period.

NAMASTE Scheme

• NAMASTE (National Action Plan for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem) was launched in 2022–23.
• Its aim is to achieve 100% mechanisation of sewer and septic tank cleaning by 2025–26.
• The SRMS scheme has now been merged with the NAMASTE scheme.

Swachata Mobile App (2016)

• Launched in 2016.
• Allows citizens to report cases or signs of manual scavenging.
• Helps authorities take quick action to stop the practice.

 

e-Shram Portal

• Context: The e-Shram Portal has registered more than 31.78 crore unorganised workers, making it India’s largest digital database for workers in the informal sector.

About e-Shram Portal

• Launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on 26 August 2021.

• • Created to support and empower unorganised workers.

• Maintains the National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW).

• It is India’s first national database covering migrant workers, construction workers, gig workers, platform workers, and other unorganised workers.

Objectives of e-Shram Portal

• • Create a single national database of unorganised workers.
  • Improve access to social security and welfare schemes.
  • Help workers find jobs and skill development opportunities.
  • Connect unorganised workers with the formal economy.

• Promote financial inclusion through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and digital payments.

Eligibility for Registration

• Must be an unorganised worker.

• Age should be 16–59 years.

• • Should not be a member of EPFO, ESIC, or government-funded NPS.

• Must have: Aadhaar card, Aadhaar-linked mobile number, Bank account

Features of e-Shram Portal

• Universal Account Number (UAN): Every registered worker gets a unique Aadhaar-linked UAN.
• Easy Registration: Simple self-registration with minimum documents.
• Multilingual Portal: Available in multiple Indian languages.
• Grievance Support: Helpline for complaints and assistance.
• Employment & Skill Linkage: Connects workers with jobs, skill training, apprenticeships, pension schemes, digital skilling, and state welfare schemes.
• Migrant Worker Details: Records family information to help provide education and women-focused welfare schemes.
• BOCW Data Sharing: Construction workers’ data is shared with Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Welfare Boards for scheme benefits.
• Data Sharing Portal (DSP): Enables secure sharing of beneficiary data with State Governments and Union Territories.

 

Gems of India challenge

• • Background: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has launched the pilot phase of the ‘Gems of India’ challenge, a nationwide initiative designed to discover, nurture, and promote grassroots digital creators.

• This initiative aims to foster authentic storytelling about India’s districts and strengthen the nation’s creative (orange) economy. 

• It is hosted on the MyWAVES platform under the WAVES OTT ecosystem.

About ‘Gems of India’

• A national digital content creation competition to identify talented local creators.
• Participants create 1–3 minute videos showcasing the unique identity of their districts.
• The challenge encourages citizen-generated content that highlights India’s cultural and regional diversity.
• It seeks to build a nationwide network of digital storytellers.

Grassroots Digital Creators

• • These are local content creators who produce authentic digital content based in their own communities, without relying on large production houses.

• Participants may include:

• • Students and youth,Social media influencers, Travel vloggers, Photographers and filmmakers, Local historians and artists, Citizens interested in documenting their district’s heritage

• Content to be created: Creators should produce 1–3 minute videos on the following topics:
  • Culture and heritage,Tourism, Traditions and festivals, Local history, Arts, crafts, and cuisine, Nature and biodiversity, Inspiring personalities, District-level achievements and innovations

Objectives

• To identify and nurture grassroots digital talent.
• To encourage authentic storytelling from every district in India.
• To showcase India’s cultural, historical, and geographical diversity.
• To encourage youth participation in digital media.
• To strengthen India’s creative (orange) economy.
• To create a repository of high-quality local digital content.
• To promote tourism and local pride through digital storytelling.

Significance

• Promotes India’s local culture, heritage, and tourism.
• Provides national-level recognition to grassroots creators.
• Creates employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in the digital content sector.
• Preserves regional traditions and stories through digital media.
• Supports the ‘Digital India’ initiative and strengthens India’s ‘orange economy’
• Encourages citizen participation in nation-building through creative storytelling.