--- title: "Manual Scavengers Act, 2013: India's Ban | Model Diplomat" description: "The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 criminalizes manual scavenging in India and ensures worker rehabilitation." url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/prohibition-of-employment-as-manual-scavengers-act-2013" --- [New](https://modeldiplomat.com/) # Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026 TL;DR - The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 is an Indian statute that criminalises manual scavenging and hazardous sewer cleaning while mandating rehabilitation of affected wo… - How does the 2013 Act differ from the 1993 manual scavenging law it replaced? - What penalties does the Act impose for engaging manual scavengers? - Why do critics call the Act's definition of manual scavenging too narrow? - What is the NAMASTE scheme's relationship to the Act? [Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026 The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 is an Indian statute that criminalises manual scavenging and hazardous sewer cleaning while mandating rehabilitation of affected workers. Go beyond the definition ## Research Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 like a delegate Model Diplomat's AI drafts position papers, speeches, and country research with real sources — built for MUN and politics students. ## Timeline 1. 18 September 2013 25 of 2013) received presidential assent on and came into force on 6 December 2013, superseding the largely unenforced Employment of Manual Scavengers and C… 2. 6 December 2013 25 of 2013) received presidential assent on 18 September 2013 and came into force on , superseding the largely unenforced Employment of Manual Scavengers and… ## Research it like a delegate Research on modeldiplomat.com ## Ask a follow-up about Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 Open a cited briefing in Model Diplomat search — timelines, positions, and sources you can use in committee or exam answers. [Start research on Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013](https://modeldiplomat.com/search?q=Explain%20Prohibition%20of%20Employment%20as%20Manual%20Scavengers%20and%20their%20Rehabilitation%20Act%2C%202013%20%E2%80%94%20key%20dates%2C%20actors%2C%20positions%2C%20and%20sources) Example In 2014, the Supreme Court in Safai Karamchari Andolan v. Union of India directed all states to identify manual scavengers and pay ₹10 lakh compensation to families of those killed cleaning sewers and septic tanks since 1993. Keep learning ## Go deeper than the definition [Explore all Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams lessons](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services)[Test yourself with a quiz](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/quiz/civil-services) ## Take Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 beyond the glossary Ask the AI research engine built for diplomacy — get briefings, position papers, and speeches with sources you can cite in committee.