Govt approves amendments to manual scavenging eradication bill

NEW DELHI: The government today approved amendments to a bill that seeks to eradicate manual scavenging.

The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved official amendments to The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Bill, 2012.

The amendments include provisions like mandatory inclusion of women in vigilance committees at district, state and national level and a survey to identify manual scavengers.

"The words insanitary latrines and manual scavengers define taking into account real situation on the ground," Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters here.

The bill was introduced on September 3, 2012 and it was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment.

The Standing Committee reported to the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in March 2013 and this bill now be introduced in the Parliament.

Chidambaram said the Bill was introduced in the Parliament last year and now officials amendments will be included in it.

The bill also has the provision for setting up committees at various levels.

"The provision for constitution of vigilance committee in each district and sub-divisions and a state level monitoring committee and a central-level monitoring committee, it is mandatory to have representation of women in these committees," he said.