Union Cabinet Approves Extension of Tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis for Three Years

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today authorised a three-year extension of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis’ (NCSK) mandate beyond 31.3.2022.

The overall cost of the three-year extension will be around Rs.43.68 crore.

Impact :

The Safai Karamcharis and recognised manual scavengers in the country would be the main benefactors, since the NCSK has been extended for three more years beyond 31.3.2022. As of December 31, 2021, there were 58098 Manual Scavengers recognised in the MS Act Survey.

Details:

The NCSK was founded in 1993 under the requirements of the NCSK Act 1993 for a period of time ending on 31.3.1997. The Act’s validity was later extended, first until 31.3.2002, and then until 29.2.2004. The NCSK Act was repealed on February 29, 2004. The NCSK’s existence as a non-statutory body was thereafter extended from time to time through resolutions. The current Commission‘s term ends on 31.3.2022.

Background:

The NCSK has been making suggestions to the government on specific welfare programmes for Safai Karamcharis, studying and evaluating current welfare programmes for Safai Karamcharis, and investigating specific grievance cases, among other things. According to the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, the NCSK has been tasked with monitoring the Act’s implementation, providing advice to the Centre and State Governments on its effective implementation, and investigating complaints of contravention or non-implementation of the Act’s provisions. Despite the fact that the government has taken numerous attempts to improve the lives of the Safai Karamcharis, the socioeconomic and educational disadvantages they face remain. Although manual scavenging is nearly extinct, it still occurs on occasion. The government continues to place a high premium on the safe cleaning of sewer/septic tanks. As a result, the government believes that ongoing monitoring of the government’s various interventions and initiatives for the welfare of Safai Karamcharis is necessary in order to achieve the goal of complete mechanisation of sewer/septic tank cleaning in the country and rehabilitation of manual scavengers.