New scheme for rehabilitation of scanengers on anvil

New Delhi, Jun 18 (UNI) The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is finalising a new scheme for rehabilitation of those manual scavengers who were left out by previous schemes.

It has asked State governments to expedite identification of the beneficiaries and if needed to undertake a resurvey of scavengers and prepare their detailed profile.

The identified beneficiaries would get rehabilitation assistance by March next year, the Ministry said here.

While banks would provide loans to targeted groups, National Safai Karmcharis Finance and Development Coproration(NSKFDC) would be given overall responsibility for implementation, monitoring and coordination with banks, and its State Channelising Agencies(SCAs) etc.

Under the Micro credit finance scheme, loan for projects upto Rs 25,000 would be given.

Men beneficiaries would be charged interest at the rate of five per cent and women at the rate of four per cent.

For projects above Rs 25,000, loans would be given at the rate of six per cent.

NSKFDC would have pivotal role, in addition to the banks, in the implementation of the scheme.

In every state annual targets of each bank would be fixed by the State Level Bankers Committee.

The SCAs have been asked to identify suitable self-employment schemes depending on the local situation, and also to encourage formation of self-help groups of scavengers and help cooperatives formed by them in getting assistance from the banks.

The Ministry has also asked the State Governments to instruct its departments to identify the core programmes of other Ministries like those of Rural Development, Small Scale Industries, Department of Food Processing and various institutions working under them to bring about a convergence in the implementation of the scheme.

UNI