"Manhole To Machine...": Big Budget Announcement On Sewage System

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today made a big announcement on sewage system while presenting the Union Budget 2023-2024.

Calling the transition "manhole to machine mode", the Finance Minister announced that sewers and septic tanks across the country will be de-sludged through mechanical process.

"All cities and towns will be enabled for 100 per cent transition of sewers and septic tanks from manhole to machine hole mode," she said.

Ms Sitharaman made the announcement with an intent to put an end to manual scavenging.

Last year in December, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale informed Parliament that as many as 400 people had died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks since 2017.

Just like last year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023-2024 in a paperless format today.

Nirmala Sitharam carried a digital tablet wrapped in a traditional Bahi-Khata style pouch with the national emblem embossed on it as she headed to Parliament to present the budget.

This is Ms Sitharaman's fifth budget presentation since she took the charge of the Finance Ministry in 2019.

On Tuesday, Ms Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey for the Financial Year 2022-23 in the Lok Sabha, stating that the economic recovery of India from the COVID-19 pandemic is complete and the economy is expected to grow in the range of 6 to 6.8 per cent in the coming financial year.

This is in comparison to the estimated 7 per cent this fiscal and 8.7 per cent in 2021-22.