National Commission for Safai Karamcharis


The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis was formed as a statutory body to look into matters concerning the Safai Karamcharis’ welfare and makes recommendations to the government. For the first time, NCSK was constituted as a statutory body under the NCSK ACT, 1993. This commission continued till February 2004, when the relevant Act expired. Thereafter, the tenure of the commission has been extended from time to time, as a non-statutory body, the last such extension being up to 31 March 2022.

History

The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis was constituted on 12 August 1994 for a period of 3 years under the provision of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993 to promote and safeguard the interests and rights of Safai Karamcharis.

Functions

The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis seeks to study, evaluate and monitor the implementation of various schemes for Safai Karamcharis as an autonomous organisation and also to provide redressal of their grievances.
The Commission shall perform all or any of the following functions, namely:-
recommend to the Central Government specific programmes of action towards elimination of inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities for Safai Karamcharis under a time-bound action plan;
study and evaluate the implementation of the programmes and schemes relating to the social and economic rehabilitation of Safai Karamcharis and make recommendations to the Central Government and State Governments for better co-ordination and implementation of such programmes and schemes;
investigate specific grievances and take suo moto 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 hardship of Safai Karamcharis;
measures for the social and economic upliftment of Safai Karamcharis;
the provisions of any law in its application to Safai Karamcharis,
and take up such matters with the concerned authorities or with the Central or State Governments;
make periodical reports to the Central and State Governments on any matter concerning Safai Karamcharis, taking into account any difficulties or disabilities being encountered by Safai Karamcharis;
any other matter which may be referred to it by the Central Government.
In the discharge of its functions under sub-section, the Commission shall have power to call for information with respect to any matter specified in that sub-section from any Government or local or other authority.
Present Chair person is Manhar Valjibhai Zala