VIJAYAWADA: National Safai Karamchari Commission chairman Manhar Valji Bhai Zala is of the opinion that the majority of safai karamcharis are illiterates they are depending on middlemen for availing themselves of government welfare schemes.
Manhar on Saturday convened a review meeting with AP Scheduled Castes Cooperative and Finance Corporation Limited and bankers to take stock of the procedure being followed in providing loans for the uplift of safai karamcharis. Speaking on the occasion, the chairman said that he came across several safai karamcharis who were cheated by the middlemen across the country. He called upon bankers and officials of the Corporation to sensitise sanitation workers about welfare schemes being implemented for their welfare.
Manhar asked the officials concerned to focus on providing minimum wages, job security and interest-free loans to safai karamcharis. The officials should also help them realise their dream of owning houses. He gave instructions to the officials to prepare a detailed report in the next three months to eradicate manual scavenging in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and municipalities.
On the occasion, Social Welfare Department Director K Harshavardhan gave a presentation on the welfare schemes being implemented by the State government for safai karamcharis. He told Manhar that around `235 crore was given to 7,667 safai karamchari as loan between 2015-19 through National Safai Karamchari Finance Development Corporation.
Ground-level inspection held
Earlier in the day, Manhar accompanied by Krishna district Collector A Md Imtiaz and Municipal Commissioner V Prasanna Venkatesh carried out a ground level inspection in 36th Division, Wynchipet, near Vinayaka temple and interacted with safai karamcharis