₹1k-cr project to rehabilitate 7,483 manual scavengers

THE Social Welfare Department is expected to soon roll out a Rs 1,000-crore one-time rehabilitation project to provide "housing and dignified livelihood" to each of the state's 7,483 identified manual scavengers -- marking one of the largest state-led efforts to end the practice.

- RISHITA KHANNA @ Bengaluru

Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa told TNIE that the state government aims at permanent rehabilitation of all identified manual scavengers by providing them houses, sustainable employment opportunities, and access to social protection schemes.

"The project is in its early stages of formulation, and we are holding consultations to understand the best way forward," the minister said.