Panels formed to end manual scavenging

Panaji: In a bid to eradicate manual scavenging and ensure the rehabilitation of those affected, govt has announced the formation of a state-level and two district-level survey committees. These committees will operate under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.
The initiative aims to foster collaboration between govt agencies, NGOs, and community representatives to improve the livelihoods of individuals involved in sanitation work and help promote social justice.
The state-level committee will be chaired by principal secretary, finance to ensure oversight and governance. It will include secretary of social welfare as the member secretary, as well as representatives from various sectors; director of planning, statistics and evaluation, secretaries of urban development and revenue, a representative from the railway authority, and members from the NGO sector, including Larsen Pereira, a project manager with Sakshi Tikar, and Gulshad, a senior executive from the Joseph community.
The state committee will meet annually to oversee the process of identifying and addressing challenges related to manual scavenging.
Govt has also constituted district-level survey committees for both North and South Goa. The North Goa committee will be chaired by the district magistrate and include the district welfare officer for scheduled castes as the member secretary. Other members include the district statistical officer for North Goa, a district-level officer for urban development, a representative from the railway authority, and members from the NGO sector.
The South Goa district committee will also be led by the district magistrate, with a structure similar to its North Goa counterpart. The committee also features representatives from NGOs and community members.