Assistance from Centre sought to end practice of manual scavenging

Tribune News Service 

Dehradun, January 31 

Uttarakhand Social Welfare Minister Yashpal Arya today demanded a Central  assistance to end the practice of manual scavenging in Rudrapur, Kashipur, Dehradun, Haridwar and Haldwani. 

During a meeting with Union Minister of Social Justice Thawar Chand Gehlot in New Delhi recently, Arya stressed the need to end manual scavenging. He said the assistance was required for introducing technology for the disposal of human waste and garbage.

He also sought  a financial assistance of  Rs 55 crore  for implementing  the Centre’s  post-matric scholarship scheme for students belonging to the OBC categories, Rs  121 crore (2017-2018)  and Rs 63 crore (2016-2017) under the same scheme for the students belonging to ST communities and Rs 113 crore under the National Social Assistance Scheme for disbursing old-age pension and  pension to widows and physical disabled. 

He also sought an assistance of Rs 22 crore  for the construction of hostels for weaker sections in the districts of Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, Dehradun and Pauri, and Rs 6 crore as subsidy for procuring tourists cabs for generating self-employment for the youth.        

Arya also met Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram and presented a proposal of Rs 124 crore for establishing  residential schools at Bajpur and Kalsi. 

He also demanded assistance for setting up computer laboratories in 16 schools being run  in Dehradun, Chamoli,  Haridwar, Udham Singh  Nagar and Pithoragarh.