The Delhi Cabinet has approved the rehabilitation programme proposed by the Social Welfare Department on Thursday. Under this programme, the identified manual scavengers will be provided with one time cash assistance of Rs 40,000, concessional loans of up to Rs 15 lakh and credit-linked capital subsidy of Rs 3.25 lakh.
As per the data shared by the Delhi Government, there are 45 manual scavengers identified in three districts of Shahdra, North-East and East. Also, under this programme the manual scavengers will be provided skill development training for two years with a stipend of Rs 3,000 per month.
The rehabilitation programme for manual scavengers, proposed by the Social Welfare department, was approved by the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
"The programme includes one time cash assistance of Rs 40,000 to identified manual scavengers, loans of Rs 15 lakh at concessional rates of interest for projects and credit linked back-end capital subsidy up to Rs 3,25,000.The number of identified manual scavengers in Delhi was found to be 45 during a State monitoring committee meeting chaired by the Chief Minister, in September 2018," said an official.
The District Magistrates were also directed to frame proposal for rehabilitation of manual scavengers under Section 13 of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013, during the meeting.
Besides, the Delhi Government has approved two other proposals from the Social Welfare department under which a student belonging to the minority communities can avail the scholarships and other vocation training program with a family income of Rs 3 lakh. Earlier, the benefits can avail
by the candidates whose
family income is not more than one lakh.
"With the passage of time, it has been felt that the Corporation was unable to sponsor sufficient number of students to these two training institutes mainly because of the lower family income criteria. Therefore, in the 151 meeting of the Board of Directors constituted a committee for simplification of the on-going loan schemes," said an official.
The Committee with regard to vocational Training Scheme suggested that the Annual Family Income should be raised from existing Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 5,00,000. The Committee stated that as per latest Notification of Delhi Government, highest minimum wages is Rs 17,916 per month, that means Rs 1,14,992 per year. Further, Delhi has higher per capita income of Rs 2,40,841 amongst all those States during 2014-15. The cost of living in Delhi is also higher than other cities, said the official.
Further, the Cabinet has approved the proposal for the amendment in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1971 for the inclusion of Takhat Sri Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, Bhatinda, Punjab as fifth Takhat in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1971.
"According to Section (4)(b)(ii) of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1971, The Committee shall consist of four members, each being the head priest of the Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, Amritsar,Takhat Kesgarh Sahib, Anandpur, Takhat Patna Sahib, Patna and Takhat Hazur Sahib, Nanded," said the Government.
"In view of the following amendments are proposed in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1971, Amendment of Section 4— In the principal Act, in clause (b) of Section for the words "nine members", the words "ten members" shall be substituted. In sub-clause(ii),- for the words "four members", the words " five members" shall be substituted,the word "and" shall be omitted, after the words "Sri Takhat Hazur Sahib, Nanded", the words "and and Sri Takhat Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, Bhatinda, Punjab" shall be inserted," said they said.