The state authorities should conduct a survey to see if there is still any case of manual scavenging going on as it is banned now, Wasnik said chairing a high-level meeting of state government officials here yesterday.
The meeting also discussed various issues, including rehabilitation of manual scavengers, Scheduled Castes and disabled persons, an official spokesman said.
Wasnik said in the near future, there will be a strict law and the action would be taken against those who still are involved in this inhuman act.
The Union Minister assured the meeting that the Centre will provide liberal funding for all the proposed welfare schemes launched by the State Government for upliftment and rehabilitation of this neglected lot.
State Social Welfare Minister Sakina Itoo told the meeting that a number of measures have already been taken for upliftment of these communities as well as for eradicating manual scavenging during the last three years.
She said all the District Magistrates and Municipal bodies have been directed to conduct a detailed survey regarding the presence of dry or insanitary latrines and also identify the individuals involved in manual scavenging.
The Union Minister also reviewed the schemes launched for development of Scheduled Castes.
He was told that under social welfare sector, monthly pension is being provided to more than five lakh people who belong to downtrodden and BPL families.
For the advancement of children belonging to poor families including SC and other Pahari speaking people, scholarship facility has been given to nearly three lakh students from pre-metric to PhD level.
