Into No Woman’s Land: BeMC Helps Women Safai Mitra’s Turn Entrepreneur with Sewer Cleaning Machines

Berhampur: If you want to help somebody, gift them a livelihood that will make them self reliant. Keeping this in mind, the Berhampur Municipal Corporation has taken an innovative and out of box step to help a group of Safai Mitras of Berhampur by making them small entrepreneurs owning sewer and septic tank cleaning machines. Though this is a profession mainly occupied by male, this initiative has proved that women also can succeed in it.

In association with the National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation, Berhampur Municipal Corporation has facilitated a group of seven women sanitation workers loan benefits to buy the sewer and septic tank cleaning machines. The group of women, who belonged to different Mission Shakti Self help Groups, has been named as Berhampur Swachata Bahini, and they will own, operate and manage the cleaning machines for liquid waste management in the city.

With this initiative, BeMC has become the first Urban Local Body in not only in the state but also in the entire country to help women Safai Karamcharis become self reliant.

Berhampur Swachhata Bahini is a rare example of government initiative to empower women in that field which was hitherto belonged to male, said Dr. Siddeshwar Baliram Bondar while adding that the initiative enabled women sanitation workers to become entrepreneurs. It engaged the members of Women self Help Groups across the FSSM value chain and enhanced community ownership along with creating avenues for their social and economic empowerment.

The seven women Safai Mitras, all in their young age, were selected by the BeMC from among the 48 applicants based on their capability. Sibani Das, Sujata Samal, Gulapi Das, Swapna Sethi, Pinki Das, Sakuntala Das and Sudasna Sethi had the will power to become entrepreneurs. All of them belonged to the Schedule Caste (SC) community and were from Berhampur. Earlier, they used to work in the unorganised sector as daily wage construction workers earning on an average Rs 120-150. They belong to individual SHGs and were trained to work at the SeTP in Berhampur. For the past several months they have been working at the SeTP. After their orientation by BeMC, they expressed interest to avail loan under the scheme and BeMC assured to support them.

BeMC processed the applications from the women members to avail loan to procure machines and equipment for mechanised cleaning of sewer and septage. The required documents were submitted to bank and further steps were taken to sanction the loan and release the funds (upfront capital subsidy) based on the proposals and disbursement of funds to the beneficiaries. Based on the requirement, the beneficiaries are going to procure mechanised cleaning equipment with the loan assistance and subsidy under the scheme. BeMC has provisioned regular mechanical cleaning work to the beneficiaries and will support them in the coming years.
BeMC facilitated the loan to these women sanitation workers who also belong to different Mission Shakti Self Help Groups (SHGs). The group of women called “Berhampur Swacchata Bahini” will now own, operate and manage the cleaning machines for liquid waste management in the City. The 7 Safai Mitras have availed the loan under the scheme amounting to Rs 77, 957, 12. The loan was a sanctioned from the National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation. The Berhampur Swacchata Bahini will own equipments such as desilting machines, jetting machines, suction machines and grabbing machines.

The sanitation workers have come together as a group called “Berhampur Swachhata Bahini” and will work together as a team. They will be trained by the vendor providing the equipment and also by BeMC on various aspects of operation and maintenance and business development. The members plan to engage other work force for operation of the machines and executing the work orders. It will be led by a group leader to take work orders and ensure timely payment of EMIs.

BeMC’s efforts in empowering and helping the SHG members from vulnerable groups and sanitation workers across the solid and liquid waste value chain are plausible. With this facilitation, promotion and capacity building, the vulnerable groups will definitely be empowered to make positive changes in their socio-economic status.