SRMS Brief

The Central Sector Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers was revised in November, 2013 in consonance with the provision of the “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013).  The objective of SRMS is to provide assistance to the identified manual scavengers and their dependants for their rehabilitation in alternative occupations.
The following are the main components of SRMS as revised upto 2020-21:- 

  1. Onetime cash assistance of Rs.40000/- to identified manual scavenger.
  2. Credit linked back-end capital subsidy upto Rs. 3.25 lakh with provision of concessional Loans for project cost upto Rs. 15.00 lacs.
  3. Skill Development Training upto two years with stipend of Rs.3000/- per month to the manual scavenger/dependent who opts for such training.
  4. Subsidy on Loans to manual scavengers/ sanitation workers  and their dependents for sanitation related projects (for projects upto Rs. 15 lakh) 
  5. Coverage of Manual Scavengers for Health Insurance under Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) Yojana 
  6. Behavioral Skill Development Training (RPL).
  7. Health Camps.
  8. Workshops on Hazardous Cleaning of Sewers and Septic Tanks. 

The scheme is being implemented at the national level through the NSKFDC.
Identification of manual scavengers is done by the concerned State Governments through survey by the Urban Local Bodies/Gram Panchyats. A survey of Manual Scavengers was started in 2013 under the provisions of the MS Act, 2013.  In 2018, fresh survey of manual scavengers was started in 194 districts of the country.  During these two surveys the identified till Feb. 2021, 58,098 eligible manual scavengers have been identified and they have been paid the One Time Cash Assistance.

2. REVISIED GUIDELINES OF THE SCHEME

 
The Scheme has been revised w.e.f. 1.4.2021. Main features of revised Scheme are:-

  1. Revision in the rates of capital subsidy and its enhancement to maximum of Rs. 5.00 lakh as against Rs. 3.25 lakh at present.
  2. Making uniform rates of capital subsidy for general projects and sanitation related projects.
  3. Capital subsidy to be paid upfront in place of back-ended capital subsidy earlier.
  4. Capital subsidy to also be admissible for projects to be started by group of the target group.
  5. Changes/departure from earlier scheme  are as under:-
S.No. Components of the Loan Pre-revised Provision Revised Provision
1 Project cost limit for individual Assistance for projects costing upto Rs. 10 lakh for general projects and upto Rs. 15 lakh for sanitation related projects Assistance for projects costing upto Rs. 15 lakh for general as well as sanitation related projects
2 Project cost limit for Group Projects
  		No specified norms for size of the group projects. Projects upto Rs. 50 lakh by group of maximum 5 beneficiaries. Maximum projects cost limit per beneficiary Rs. 10.00 lakh
3 Upfront capital subsidy Back-end capital subsidy Upfront capital subsidy
4 Capital subsidy
  		Individuals
 
General Projects
Back-end capital subsidy upto Rs. 3.25 lakh as follows:-
 
Range of Porjects Cost Rate of Subsidy
Upto Rs. 2.00 lakh 50% of project cost
Beyond Rs. 2.00 lakh upto Rs. 5.00 lakh Rs.1 lakh+33.3% of projects cost between Rs.2-5 lakh
Beyond Rs.5.00 lakh Upto Rs. 10.00 lakh Rs. 2 lakh +25% of projects cost between Rs. 5-10 lakh- maximum subsidy Rs. 3.25 lakh

Sanitation related projects

Projects costing upto Rs. 5.00 lakh 50% of the project cost
Projects cost beyond Rs. 5.00 lakh  upto Rs. 15.00 lakh Capital subsidy as admissible for general projects, Maximum subsidy Rs. 3.25 lakh 

 
Group Projects
 
Not specified in the Scheme
 
 
 

Individuals
 
General Projects as well as Group Projects
 
Up-front capital subsidy upto Rs. 5.00 lakh for general projects as well as sanitation related projects, as follows:-
 
 
 
Range of project Rate of Subsidy
Upto Rs. 5.00 lakh
 
  		50% of projects cost
 
Beyond Rs. 5.00 lakh upto 15.00 lakh Rs. 2.5 lakh+25% of remaining project cost (maximum capital subsidy Rs. 5.00 lakh)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Group Projects
 

For Group Projects Same rate of capital subsidy as admissible for individuals. Per individual, maximum capital subsidy Rs. 3.75 lakh.

 

5 Rate of Interest
  		 
Projects costing upto Rs. 25 thousand 5% p.a. (4% for women beneficiaries)
 
Projects costing above Rs. 25 thousand 6% p.a.

 

 
Projects costing upto Rs. 1.00 lakh 5% p.a. (4% for women beneficiaries)
 
Projects costing above Rs. 1.00 lakh 6% p.a.