New Delhi [India], October 6 (ANI): Expressing displeasure over the unjustified and inordinate delay in funds by Arvind Kejriwal Government, the Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Thursday directed the Chief Secretary to take quick steps to clear all dues of Dalit sanitation staff within the nationwide capital earlier than Diwali.
The LG requested Chief Secretary to look right into a criticism of the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) citing non-payment of payments to the tune of Rs 16 crore by Delhi Government to over 1000 Dalit staff engaged in cleansing of sewer strains within the nationwide capital via Delhi Jal Board (DJB).
The LG mentioned, “this was a serious matter and asked the Chief Secretary to take immediate steps to clear all genuine claims of these Dalit sanitation workers before Diwali so that these marginalized workers do not face any hardship during the festivals.”The LG’s instructions are available in wake of a illustration made by DICCI, led by its chairman Dr Milind Kamble who met the Lieutenant Governor on September 30, complaining in regards to the apathy of the Delhi Government in direction of these Dalit staff who’re the primary era entrepreneurs.
The DJB had signed an settlement with DICCI for implementing a technology-based answer for sewer cleansing to eradicate guide scavenging in Delhi on February 28, 2019, underneath which 189 contractors from marginalized communities had been engaged by DJB for cleansing of the sewer strains. These contractors have engaged over 1000 sanitation staff who’re accountable for the cleansing of sewers within the DJB areas.
Also, to implement the challenge, these contractors bought sewer cleansing machines with mortgage help underneath the “Stand up India” scheme, a flagship scheme of the Prime Minister that goals at supporting the poor and the marginalized to develop into self-reliant.
The State Bank of India has prolonged the time period mortgage as much as 90 per cent of the challenge price, that’s Rs 40 lakh for every machine and the remaining 10 per cent of the margin cash was introduced in by the Dalit entrepreneurs. Thus, the EMI fee to the financial institution types the most important expenditure each month other than the recurring operation and upkeep bills of those machines.
However, as a result of non-payment of payments by the Delhi Government, these Dalit staff have been compelled to go with out wage for a number of months and the contractors are unable to fulfill the vital recurring bills like gas, operation and upkeep and compensation of financial institution EMIs.
DICCI Chairman Dr Kamble, a Padma Awardee and in addition the Director of IIM, Jammu, whereas assembly the LG, alleged that these Dalit contractors and staff are within the 4th yr of their service with the DJB, however ever since they’ve been dealing with an acute disaster. He alleged {that a} foyer energetic within the DJB was consistently attempting to fail these poor Dalit sanitation staff in order that the sewer cleansing work once more goes again to the previous contractors.
According to the criticism, the contract between DJB and DICCI stipulates the discharge of fee to the contractors each month however by no means in these 4 years, have well timed funds been made to those Dalit entrepreneurs. These contractors confronted the worst disaster through the Covid-19 lockdown when the Delhi Government didn’t launch their funds for a number of months whilst their complete fleet of sewer cleansing machines was engaged by the federal government for a particular sanitation drive throughout the town, inflicting hardships to those Dalit frontline staff, the criticism learn. (ANI)