The State government will regularise all pourakarmikas in the State in phases, Karnataka State Safai Karmachari Development Corporation (KSSKDC) chairman Murali Ashok Salappa said in Belagavi on Wednesday.

“As promised by the Congress in its election manifesto, 20,000 workers have already been regularised. The others will be made permanent employees in a phased manner,” Mr. Salappa said.

He was speaking after inaugurating a health camp for civic workers and an awareness programme about health insurance scheme introduced by the State government.

He said that the State government is providing cashless health insurance facility of up to ₹5 lakh to civic workers. These cards can be used till retirement.

“The State government is committed to protecting the interests of civic workers. It has fulfilled 34 of the 56 recommendations in the Salappa report (report of the Committee on the Improvement of the Living and Working Conditions of Sweepers and Scavengers by I.P.D. Salappa 1976),” he said.

Mayor Preeti Kamakar said that it is everyone’s duty to protect the health of the workers who protect the health of the city’s people.

She promised that the Belagavi City corporation will also provide all facilities to civic workers while ensuring proper implementation of the State government’s insurance scheme.

Deputy Mayor Hanamanth Kongali urged the State government to release regular funding for development works.

He said that he will prefer depositing money in the accounts of workers rather than preparing breakfast for them at the city corporation.

Corporation Commissioner Karthik M. said that the health insurance scheme will benefit civic workers.

Go Digit Insurance Company coordinator T.L. Krishnamurthy said that for the first time in the country, the State government has introduced the scheme with a coverage of up to ₹5 lakh for civic workers.

By using the health card, workers can get treatment for over 3,000 diseases in any hospital, he said.