Bagar District Achieves Manual Scavenging-Free Status, Upholding Dignity

Answer: D

All three statements are correct provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. The Act aims to eliminate manual scavenging, ensure the rehabilitation of those engaged in it, and prohibits the construction of insanitary latrines. District Magistrates play a crucial role in its implementation, including conducting surveys and making declarations.

Answer: B

Statement 1 is correct. The NAMASTE (National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem) scheme, launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, aims to achieve zero fatalities in sanitation work, mechanize cleaning operations, and provide dignified livelihoods to sanitation workers. Statement 2 is correct. While Article 17 explicitly abolishes 'Untouchability', manual scavenging is a direct manifestation of this practice and is therefore implicitly and fundamentally prohibited by the spirit and intent of Article 17, upholding human dignity. Statement 3 is incorrect. While Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) initially focused heavily on achieving Open Defecation Free (ODF) status through toilet construction, its scope expanded to include solid waste management and safe sanitation practices. The claim that it 'solely' focuses on toilet construction and 'without addressing mechanization' is too restrictive, as the broader goal of safe sanitation implicitly supports mechanization to prevent manual scavenging, even if NAMASTE is the dedicated scheme for it.

Answer: C

Statement C is NOT correct. Both the 1993 Act and especially the 2013 Act (which is titled 'Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers AND THEIR REHABILITATION Act') include significant provisions for the rehabilitation of manual scavengers, alongside punitive measures. The 2013 Act, in particular, has a strong focus on rehabilitation, including financial assistance, skill training, and alternative livelihoods. Statement A is correct, the 1993 Act was indeed the first comprehensive law. Statement B is correct, the 2013 Act broadened the definition to cover more forms of hazardous cleaning. Statement D is correct, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is the nodal ministry.

Answer: A

Statements 1, 2, and 3 correctly identify significant challenges in eradicating manual scavenging. Lack of modern infrastructure, the persistence of caste-based discrimination, and inadequate rehabilitation support are major hurdles. Statement 4 is incorrect because India does have a robust legal framework, specifically the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. The challenge lies in the effective enforcement and implementation of this law, rather than its absence.