Extension of tenure of the National Commission for SafaiKarmacharis beyond 31.3.2019 for three years
No: --- Dated: Feb, 13 2019
The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for Extension of tenure of the National Commission for SafaiKarmacharis(NCSK) beyond 31.3.2019 for three years.
Salient Features:
The NCSK was established in the year 1993 as per the provisions of the NCSK Act 1993 initially for the period up to 31.3.1997. Later the validity of the Act was initially extended up to 31.3.2002 and thereafter up to 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. The tenure of the present Commission is up to 31.3.2019.
Major impact:
The major beneficiaries of the proposal would be the SafaiKaramcharis and persons engaged in manual scavenging in the country since the NCSK will work for their welfare and upliftment. The number of Manual Scavengers identified under the MS Act Survey as on 31.01.2019 is 14226 and under the National Survey undertaken by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment at the behest of NITI Aayog is 31128 on 31.01.2019.
Background:
The NCSK has been giving its recommendations to the Government regarding specific programmes for the welfare of SafaiKaramcharis, study and evaluate the existing welfare programmes for SafaiKaramcharis, investigate cases of specific grievances etc. Also as per the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 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 SafaiKaramcharis, the deprivation suffered by them in socio-economic and educational terms is still far from being eliminated. Further, the practice of manual scavenging is still prevalent in the country and its eradication 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 the welfare of SafaiKaramcharis and to achieve the goal of complete eradication of the practice of manual scavenging in the country. Therefore, the Cabinet has approved the present proposal for grant of extension of the tenure of National Commission for SafaiKaramcharis (NCSK) for three more years beyond 31.3.2019.
Courtesy – Press Information Bureau, Government of India