Pourakarmikas seek better safety, healthcare and welfare benefits

The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis has directed all pourakarmikas in Bengaluru to mandatorily register on the ‘NAMASTE’ app to facilitate access to various welfare and safety benefits provided by the Union government.

The direction was issued by Hardeep Singh Gill, Member of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, at a meeting held at the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Central Office on Tuesday. The meeting, chaired by Mr. Gill and GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao, discussed the demands and issues of pourakarmikas and manual scavengers, including safety, health, housing, education, compensation, pension and socio-economic welfare.

Mr. Rao said continuous inspections and documentation were being carried out across the city to monitor the safety and working conditions of pourakarmikas. Case-wise information on deaths and accidents related to manual scavenging was also being collected, and necessary action was being taken to provide compensation and other benefits as per the rules.