Context: The Union Cabinet approved the extension of the tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) for a period of three years up to March 2028. This is to facilitate socio-economic upliftment of sanitation workers, improving the working conditions in the sanitation sector, and aiming to achieve zero fatalities while performing hazardous cleaning.
Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Key facts about the National Commission of Safai Karmcharis.
About the National Commission of Safai Karmcharis
- The Commission was set up as a statutory body in 1994 under the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993. After the lapsing of the Act in 2004, the Commission became a non-statutory body.
- However, its scope has been expanded after the enactment of The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.
Organisation: The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis is a non-statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, it comprises of-
- Chairperson (in the rank and status of the Union Minister of State).
- Vice-Chairperson (in the rank and status of the Secretary to the Government of India).
- Five members, including a lady member (in the rank and status of the Secretary to the Government of India)
- Secretary (in the rank of Joint Secretary to the Govt. of India) along with other supporting staff.
Mandate
- Recommending to Central government specific programmes of action towards elimination of inequities in status, facilities, and opportunities for safai karamcharis.
- To study and evaluate implementation of programmes and schemes relating to social and economic rehabilitation of safai karamcharis and scavengers.
- To investigate the non-implementation programmes and schemes for safai karamcharis, and provisions of any laws in its application to safai karamcharis and take up such matters with the relevant authorities.
- To study and monitor the working conditions relating to health safety and wages of Safai Karmacharis.
- To make reports to the Central or State Government on any matter, difficulties or disabilities being encountered by Safai Karmacharis.
- To ensure that compensation is paid in case of sewer deaths by the concerned agency.
Furthermore, under the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act 2013), NCSK has the following mandate:
(i) to monitor the implementation of the Act.
(ii) to enquire into complaints regarding contravention of the provisions of this Act and to convey its findings to concerned authorities with recommendations requiring further action.
(iii) to advise the Central and State Govt for effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.
(iv) to take suo-motu notice of matters relating to non-implementation of this Act.