BMC holds loan mela for ‘Safaimitras’ in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) today organized a ‘loan mela’ under the “Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge” to provide easy loan facility to sanitation workers to buy machines for cleaning septic tanks and sewers so that inhumane practice of manual scavenging can be eliminated. The event was held at Jaydev Bhavan under the chairmanship of BMC Commissioner, Prem Chandra Chaudhary in presence of Deputy Commissioner (Sanitation), Suvendu Sahoo among other officials and dignitaries of the Civic Body. Over hundreds of sanitation workers participated in the programme. Three companies – Kam Avida, TPS Infrastructure and Maniar & Co. - exhibited their products during the event which could be used for cleaning of sewers and septic tanks. There were seven stalls were put up where sanitation workers interested to buy machinery and equipment got an opportunity to interact with the company representatives. Representatives of the three private companies have given presentations showing some modern machines which are being used by ‘Safaimitras’ in metro cities like Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai etc. The loans are being provided by the National Safai Karamchari Finance Development Corporation (NSKFDC), a wholly owned Govt. of India Undertaking under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJ&E), on the recommendation of BMC. The NSKFDC works for the all-round socio-economic upliftment of the Safai Karamcharis, Scavengers and their dependants throughout India through various loan and non-loan based schemes.