NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR SAFAI KARAMCHARIS – GOVERNANCE
News: Headless
for a year, Safai Karamchari commission gets some vacancies filled
What's in the news?
● The
National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK), after being headless for
close to a year, has finally got a chairperson, vice-chairperson and member on
board - though several posts still remain vacant.
Key takeaways;
● The
president approved the appointment of M
Venkatesan as Chairperson, Anjana Panwar as Vice-Chairperson, and Dr P. P. Vava as Member.
● Sources
said they are likely to take charge in March, and the tenure will last till
March 2025.
National Commission for Safai Karamcharis:
● The
commission was set up in 1993 under the NCSK
Act, 1993 for a period of three years, which has been extended since then,
despite the Act ceasing to have effect from February 29, 2004.
● After
that the tenure of the NCSK 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.
Composition:
The
National Commission for Safai Karamcharis comprises
● One
Chairperson (in the rank and status of the Union Minister for States)
● Vice
Chairperson
● Five
members, including a lady member (in the rank and status of the Secretary to
the Government of India) and
● Secretary
(in the rank of Joint Secretary to the Govt. of India) along with other
supporting staff.
Objectives:
● Recommend to the Central
Government specific programmes of action towards elimination of inequalities in
status, facilities and opportunities for Safai Karamcharis.
● Study
and evaluate the implementation of the programmes and schemes relating to the
social and economic rehabilitation of Safai Karamcharis; and scavengers, in
particular.
● 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
○ 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.
● To study and monitor the
working conditions, including those
relating to health, safety and wages of Safai Karamcharis working under various
kinds of employers including Government, Municipalities and Panchayats, and to
make recommendations in this regard.
● Make
reports to the Central or 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 by the Central Government.