Status on National Commission for Safai Karamcharis

Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri Ramdas Athawale has informed that 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 aims and objectives of NCSK are given at Annexure-I

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.

Annexure-I

The aims and objectives of NCSK are as under:

(a) Recommend to Central Government specific programmes of action towards elimination of inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities for Safai Karamcharis;

(b) Study and evaluate the implementation of the programmes and schemes relating to the social and economic rehabilitation of Safai Karamcharis and scavengers in particular;

(c) Investigate specific grievance and to take suo motu notice of matters relating to non-implementation of:

(i) Programmes or schemes in respect of any group of safai karamcharis;

(ii) Decisions, guidelines or instructions aimed at mitigating the hardship of Safai Karamcharis;

(iii)The measures for the social and economic upliftment of Safai Karamcharis;

(iv) 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;

(d) 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;

(e) 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

(f) 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:-

(a) to monitor the implementation of this Act;

(b) 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

(c) to advise the Central and State Governments for effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.

(d)  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.