BENGALURU: All pourakarmikas in the city should mandatorily register on the ‘NAMASTE’ app to access various welfare and safety benefits, including safety kits, provided by the Central government, said Hardeep Singh Gill, member of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis.
Gill and Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao chaired a meeting on Tuesday to discuss key issues related to the welfare, safety, health, housing, education, compensation, pension and socio-economic development of pourakarmikas.
He also issued directions to register pourakarmikas under the relevant schemes of the State Safai Karmachari Development Corporation and facilitate access to available benefits, including medical insurance, while officials were instructed to complete the registration process of eligible workers in the first phase and subsequently ensure the prompt delivery of associated benefits.
Speaking at the meeting, Rao said continuous inspections and documentation are being carried out across the city regarding the safety and working conditions of pourakarmikas. He added that the case-wise information regarding deaths and accidents associated with manual scavenging is being collected and necessary action is being taken to provide compensation and other benefits as per the rules.
The concern about reducing numbers of pourakarmikas from more than 35,000 earlier to today’s 15,292 (12,924 permanent pourakarmikas and 2,368 daily-wage workers) as the cause of increased workload was pointed out at the meeting by representatives of pourakarmika organizations, pleading to reassess the required number of pourakarmikas based on scientific norms and to increase the staff strength as necessary.