23/11/2017

National Commission for Safai Karamcharis has suggested to NITI Aayog that some of the welfare schemes for Safai Karamcharis and Manual Scavengers may be brought under its purview. Shri Manhar Valji Bhai Zala, Chairman, National Commission for Safai Karamcharis along with the members of the Commission Smt. Manju Diler, Shri Dilip K. Hathibed and Shri Swami Sadanand Maharaj held a meeting with Sh. Rattan P. Wattal, Principal Advisor, NITI Aayog on 17th November, 2017 to share their views and concerns on various issues of Safai Karamcharis and Manual Scavengers.

The Chairman raised the issue of empowering the Commission by making it a statutory or constitutional body and bestow it with the powers of a civil court so that it can discharge its mandate effectively. The Commission also expressed its dismay at the slow pace of implementation of “The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013” particularly the survey of Manual Scavengers. The Commission suggested the NITI Aayog for getting the survey of Manual Scavengers done through an independent third party having adequate representation of volunteers/activists from communities traditionally engaged in manual scavenging. Presently, the role of the Commission is merely of monitoring the implementation of the Central Government’s schemes for welfare of Safai Karamcharis and Manual Scavengers. It has no scheme of its own. In this background, the Commission suggested that some of the welfare schemes for Safai Karamcharis and Manual Scavengers may be brought under its purview.

Shri Ratan P. Wattal-Principal Advisor, NITI Aayog took note of the suggestions given by the Commission and assured the Commission that it would shortly convene a meeting of all the stakeholders on the subject to discuss and finalise a roadmap to achieve the ultimate objective of ending the inhuman practice of manual scavenging in the country .