Karnataka govt to roll out Rs 1000 crore rehabilitation project for 7,483 manual scavengers: Report
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Social Welfare Department is likely to roll out a Rs 1,000-crore one-time rehabilitation project aimed at providing housing and dignified livelihoods to all 7,483 identified manual scavengers in the state, marking one of the largest state-led initiatives to eradicate the practice, according to a report by The New Indian Express.
Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa mentioned that the state government is committed to permanently rehabilitating all identified manual scavengers by offering them housing, sustainable livelihoods, 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,” TNIE quoted the minister as saying. He reiterated that the goal is to ensure manual scavengers can lead a dignified life and emphasised that the government aims to provide housing for all of them simultaneously, rather than implementing the project in phases where some may have to wait.
The government wants to complete the project by November 26, 2026, to mark Constitution Day, TNIE report quoted its sources as saying.
A senior official stated that the department has initiated discussions with the Housing Department and is considering three plans for rehabilitation. The first plan involves constructing houses for families of manual scavengers who already own plots. The second plan includes those without land, with the department planning a group housing scheme in rural areas where land will be identified to build homes for groups of four to five families. The third plan focuses on group housing in urban areas, with the department searching for land near Metro stations or other accessible locations.
All three options are under consideration, and a survey will be conducted to assess the number of families and estimate the costs, as the construction expenses will vary depending on the model.
Of the 7,483 identified manual scavengers, 1,625 are within the BBMP limits, followed by 1,381 in Mysuru and 1,224 in Kolar. In contrast, Vijayapura and Bagalkot have no recorded manual scavengers.
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PM Modi holds talks with French President Macron in Mumbai
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held wide-ranging talks with French President Emmanuel Macron to boost ties in key sectors such as trade, defence, energy and critical technologies.
Macron landed in Mumbai early this morning on a three-day visit to attend the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi and meet PM Modi.
After the talks with Modi, Macron will attend a ceremony to launch the India-France Year of Innovation.
His visit comes days after India cleared a long-pending proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets under a government-to-government framework with France.
It has been billed as one of the world's biggest military procurement programmes in recent years.
It is learnt that shoring up defence cooperation and enhancing bilateral engagement in the critical technology sector are priority areas to take forward the ties.
"Welcome to India! India looks forward to your visit and to advancing our bilateral ties to new heights. I am confident that our discussions will further strengthen cooperation across sectors and contribute to global progress," Modi said on social media earlier in the day in response to a post by Macron.
