National Commission for Safai Karmchari

Why in news?

• Centre extends tenure of National Commission for Safai Karmacharis till 2025.

About National commission for Safai Karmchari:

• The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) was constituted on 12th August, 1994 as a statutory body by an Act of Parliament for a period of three years. However, validity of the Act was extended up to 2004 vide Amendment
• Acts passed.

• With the lapsing of the Act in 2004, the Commission is acting as a Non-Statutory body of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment whose tenure is extended from time to time through Government Resolutions

Functions:

• Recommends specific programs of actions to the central government that aim to eliminate inequalities faced by the safai karamcharis.
• Studies and evaluates the implementation of such programmes and schemes that are launched for the social and economic rehabilitation of safai karamcharis especially scavengers.
• Investigate specific grievances and take suo-motu notice of matters relating to non-implementation of:
  • Programmes or schemes in respect of any group of Safai Karamcharis
  • Decisions, guidelines or instructions, aimed at mitigating the hardships of Safai Karamcharis
  • Measures for the social and economic upliftment of Safai Karamcharis
• It monitors the working conditions of the safai karamcharis employed under various employers including central and state Governments, Municipalities, Panchayats, etc.
• With the enactment of ‘The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013’, the mandate and scope of the Commission has also been enlarged. As per the Act, the Commission shall perform the following functions:
  • To monitor the implementation of the Act.
  • To enquire into complaints regarding contravention of the provisions of the Act, and to convey its findings to the concerned authorities with recommendations requiring further action.
  • To advise the Central and the State Governments for effective implementation of the provisions of the Act.
  • To take suo motu notice of matter relating to non-implementation of the Act.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Which of the following statements are correct regarding ‘National Commission for Safai Karmchari’?

1. The commission acts as a non-statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment whose tenure is extended from time to time through Government resolutions

2. It monitors the working conditions of the safai karamcharis employed under the Government.

Select the correct answer using code given below

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer