Strategic Action Plan - International Environmental Technology Centre

STRENGTHENING PMC RAG PICKER CO-
OPERATIVES
Target:
‣ To carry out an inventory of the rag pickers working in Pune and to
increase their numbers in the PMC co-operatives
‣ To impart vocational training to be given to the Rag picker Cooperatives
‣ To provide incentives and benefits to such cooperatives
‣ To impart awareness amongst rag-pickers to encourage the independently
working rag pickers to join co-operatives and work at the Community
sorting centres.
‣ To promote rag pickers to work at CSC, spread awareness at EAC,
promote sale of crafts sold at EAC and communities, gardening etc for
various community gardens/ PMC gardens etc.
Lead Agency: PMC
Support Agency: Existing NGOs working closely with the rag pickers
Location (Suggested): Training can be imparted at EAC and the respective CSC’s.
Description: Since most of the rag pickers are women, activities that would help
women in earning a living should be encouraged. Some of the activities where
women can be involved include: Making handicrafts out of waste paper etc, Waste
recycling and waste exchange centers, Composting Programme and gardening,
Environmental Awareness Centers and Cleaning of public places
To make the women group able and competent, vocational training needs to be
imparted to the women for carrying out the above activities. PMC should provide
the financial and technical assistance to such NGOs. This training is carried out for
those rag pickers that are part of the Co-operative.
Awareness raising programme should be carried out to explain the benefits and
facilities provided by Co operatives. A scheme for earning extra income, free medical
insurance can be some of the incentives for encouraging rag pickers to join the co
operatives
To manage all the activities like training, awareness raising, formulating schemes etc ,
a women‘s Cell can be formed that takes charge of assigning the right work to the
women groups, based on their qualifications and constraints to work. This basically
follows the “Train the trainers” approach. Women’s cell is funded by a certain
percentage of income earned by the women, the PMC and the corporate sector,
through its CSR activities. The handicraft items that are made from waste can be
displayed at the EAC.
Budget (Estimated): 0.5 Million
Timeframe (Estimated): 5 years
Benefits:
CAPACITY
BUILDING &
PARTNERSHIPS
SCHEME 8
PROGRAMME
G 3- O1
Links to other ISWM Pune
Schemes:
‣ Establishment of EAC
‣ Establishment of CSC
‣ Formation of a cadre of
certified operators for
Decentralised Treatment
‣ Improvising Health and
Safety of PMC workers,
rag-pickers and citizens in
proximity of the landfill
‣ Conducting awareness
programmes for business
and community
• Source of income to the
women and improve the
overall productivity of the
rag pickers.
• Benefit PMC by
increasing the work-force
towards segregation and
improve the actual
working of CSCs and
decentralized treatment
facilities.
• Assured employment,
medical and other benefits
for ragpickers
• Efforts can be made to
increase the social
acceptance about the work
of these rag pickers.
ISWM Plan for Pune 188