15-Mar-2022: National Commission for Safai Karamcharis

The tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) has been extended for a period of three years with effect from 01.04.2022 to 31.03.2025 vide Gazette Notification No.16/5/2021-PLAN dated 03.02.2022.

The extension of the tenure of the Commission helps to facilitate socio-economic development of Safai Karamcharis and to reduce the incidence of hazardous cleaning. It helps in achieving the goal of equity and inclusiveness, fulfilling the desired objectives of the welfare and development of the target group.

The total budget provision for the NCSK for next three years is approximately Rs.43.68 crores.

The beneficiaries of the Commission are not quantifiable as the Commission deals with complaints /grievances / representations as received by it from manual scavengers and Safai Karamcharis.

The aims and objectives of NCSK are:

1. Recommend to Central Government specific programmes of action towards elimination of inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities for Safai Karamcharis;
2. Study and evaluate the implementation of the programmes and schemes relating to the social and economic rehabilitation of Safai Karamcharis and scavengers in particular;
3. Investigate specific grievance and to take Suo motu notice of matters relating to non-implementation of:
   1. Programmes or schemes in respect of any group of safai karamcharis;
   2. Decisions, guidelines or instructions aimed at mitigating the hardship of Safai Karamcharis;
   3. The measures for the social and economic upliftment of Safai Karamcharis;
   4. the provision of any law in its application to Safai Karamcharis, and take up such matters with concerned authorities or with the Central or State Government;
4. To study and monitor the working conditions, including those relating to health, safety and wages of Safai Karamcharis working under various kinds of employers including Government, Municipalities and Panchayats, and to make recommendations in this regard;
5. Make reports to the Central and State Government on any matter concerning Safai Karamcharis, taking into account any difficulties or disabilities being encountered by Safai Karamcharis; and
6. Any other matter which may be referred to it by the Central Government.

In addition to above, Section 31(1) of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013 lays down the functions of NCSK and the manner of discharge of its functions as below:

“The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis shall perform the following functions, namely:-

1. to monitor the implementation of this Act;
2. to enquire into complaints regarding contravention of the provisions of this Act, and convey its findings to the concerned authorities with recommendations requiring further action; and
3. to advise the Central and State Governments for effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.
4. to take Suo moto notice of matter relating to non-implementation of this Act”.

In the discharge of its functions under sub-section (1), the National Commission shall have the power to call for information with respect to any matter specified in that sub-section from any Government or local or other authority.

19-Jan-2022: Cabinet approves extension of tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis for three years

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today has approved the extension of the tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) for three years beyond 31.3.2022.

The total implication of the extension for three years would be approximately Rs.43.68 crore.

Impact: The major beneficiaries would be the Safai Karamcharis and identified manual scavengers in the country since the NCSK for 3 more years beyond 31.3.2022.  The number of Manual Scavengers identified under the MS Act Survey as on 31.12.2021 is 58098.

Details: The NCSK was established in the year 1993 as per the provisions of the NCSK Act 1993 initially for the period upto 31.3.1997.  Later the validity of the Act was initially extended upto 31.3.2002 and thereafter upto 29.2.2004.  The NCSK Act ceased to have effect from 29.2.2004.  After that the tenure of the NCSK has been extended as a non-statutory body from time to time through resolutions.  The tenure of the present Commission is upto 31.3.2022.

Background: The NCSK has been giving its recommendations to the Government regarding specific programmes for welfare of Safai Karamcharis, study and evaluate the existing welfare programmes for Safai Karamcharis, investigate cases of specific grievances etc.  Also as per the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, the NCSK has been assigned the work to monitor the implementation of the Act, tender advice for its effective implementation to the Centre and State Governments and enquire into complaints regarding contravention/non-implementation of the provisions of the Act.  Though the Government has taken many steps for the upliftment of the Safai Karamcharis, the deprivation suffered by them in socio-economic and educational terms is still far from being eliminated.  Although manual scavenging has been almost eradicated, sporadic instances do occur.  Hazardous cleaning of sewer/septic tanks continues to be an area of the highest priority for the Government.  Hence, the Government feels that there is a continued need to monitor the various interventions and initiatives of the Government for welfare of Safai Karamcharis and to achieve the goal of complete mechanization of sewer/septic tanks cleaning in the country and rehabilitation of manual scavengers.