The tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK), which was set to expire on March 31, 2022, has been extended for three more years. The decision, the total financial implication of which would be nearly Rs 43.68 crore, was made at the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday. The move has also been perfectly timed ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in five states.
As per the Manual Scavenging Act Survey, there are 58,098 in the professions as of December 31, 2021. The NCSK was established in 1993 as per the provisions of the NCSK Act, 1993. Though it was initially supposed to be till 1997, it was then extended to 2002 and then later again to 2004. It ceased to have effect from February 29, 2004. Since then, the tenure has been extended as a non-statutory body from time to time.
The body gives recommendations to the union government from time to time regarding specific programmes for the welfare of manual scavengers, studies and evaluates existing welfare programmes, investigates cases of specific grievances etc.