1. The target group of NSKFDC i.e. Scavengers, Safai Karamcharis and their dependants are the most down trodden section of our society. They have been traditionally performing scavenging and sweeping work for generations, which is normally not performed by other sections of the society. The involvement of a majority of adult population in scavenging and sweeping has given them a negative social image and status and such jobs are termed as their traditional occupation. The negative image of this community and the hazardous and unhealthy working conditions have hampered their acceptability by society at large in acquiring other skills, jobs and even certain type of self-employment. As a result, majority of the youths from this community have not been able to break away from their traditional occupation which, besides being obnoxious, has limited income-earning potentials and hence they generally live in abject poverty. Sometimes, because of the hazardous and obnoxious work, many of the adults from this community abuse alcohol and drugs adversely affecting their economic conditions and health. The evil vices have sucked many families into the vortex of indebtedness and abject poverty. Due to the difficult conditions of the family, there are cases where women have been compelled to take up the traditional occupation thereby perpetuating the exploitation of women.

2. The mission of NSKFDC is to empower the Safai Karamcharis, Scavengers and their dependents to break away from their traditional occupation, depressed social condition and poverty and leverage them to work their own way up the social and economic ladder, with dignity and pride.

3. Through education, information and communication, NSKFDC hopes to persuade and convince the safai karamcharis and scavengers to stop and break away from their traditional occupation of scavenging and sweeping and take up alternative and dignified occupations or self-employment activities. NSKFDC also targets their dependants to dissuade them from taking up the traditional occupation performed by their parents and forefathers in an attempt to break the cycle by providing them opportunities for trainings in any skills, trades and entrepreneurial development and loan facilities at low interest rates to start any economic activities of their choice.

4. To enable them to break out from the depressed social and economic conditions, the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of lndia and NSKFDC have been implementing various schemes and programmes. The main features of the various schemes and programmes are outlined below:

i) Term loan for starting any kind of income generating activities

Term loan for taking up any income generating activity of the beneficiary's choice is provided for projects costing upto Rs.5.00 lakhs at the interest rate of 6% per annum.

ii) Micro Credit Finance

For taking up any sundry income earning activities MCF is provided upto the extent of Rs. 25,000 per borrower at 5% interest and at 4% for women borrower.

iii) Education loan

Term loan is provided to students for technical and professional courses of graduation and higher levels upto the extent of Rs.3.00 lakhs per student or Rs.75,000/- per year at the interest rate of 6% per annum.

(iv) Sanitation related economic activities

For a more scientific and hygienic approach to removal and disposal of garbage so that there is no direct contact with garbage and unhygienic substances thereby lowering the exposure of the sani.tation worker to hazardous and unhealthy conditions, term to the extent of Rs. 10.00 lakhs is provided for starting sanitation related income generating activities. They may include a mechanized garbage disposal work, mechanized soak pit cleaning work, pay and use toilets facilities, etc.

(v) Training Programmes

Due to their depressed social conditions, most persons from this community are devoid of any skills other than scavenging and sweeping work. In most of the cases they would be first generation entrepreneurs and therefore invariably require training. They may take up training in trades, skill up-gradation and entrepreneurial development. The entire cost of training including costs of fees, stipend, raw materials, tools and boarding charges if it is a residential course is provided by NSKFDC as grant to the SCA upto Rs.I.OO lac per project. Further, for those wishing to start self-employment ventures, the SCAs are expected to provide loan to them on completion of their training.

5. To bring about awareness the SCAs may conduct awareness camps in consultation with NSKFDC and in coordination with the municipal, cantonment and railway authority. The SCAs should also seek the assistance of the district authority. The awareness programmes should encompass activities from identification of beneficiaries for training and recovery ofloan and also to dissuade and counsel the target group from performing their traditional occupation and take up more socially acceptable occupations.

6. Awareness camps are to be organised in the localities/basties/villages/colonies of the target group by choosing the most convenient place and time for maximum attendance. Conducting awareness camps could be very effective consideration that the target community normally lives in a compact area.

7. The SCAs should exercise austerity measures and attempt to limit the expenditure to the minimum extent possible. The upper limit of expenditure reimbursable by NSKFDC is Rs.5,OOO/- per awareness camp.

The Awareness camp may be conducated in the following manner

The responsibilities of the SCA shall include the following:

1. Awareness camp shall be held only after it is approved and sanctioned by NSKFDC for claiming reimbursement from NSKFDC. The state-wise awareness programme could be proposed and included in the annual action plan ofNSKFDC.
2. Awareness camp may be conducted in the localities/ bas ties/ colonies of the target group. The camp may be coordinated with the Municipal/ Cantonment/ Railway authorities if it is held in their colonies.
3. The SCA should normally hold the awareness camps in open ground or Govt. Building/ Panchayat Ghar/ Community Halls, if it is located in the locality of the target group and is also convenient for them to congregate.
4. The local authorities like the Collector/ BDO/ SDO/ Tehsildar, Patwari and a political Safai Karamchari/ Scavenger activists and NGOs may be invited to attend the awareness camps.
5. The proposal containing the date, venue, time, the population of target group living in the area, estimated expenditure along with items of expenditure should be sent to NSKFDC at least a fortnight ahead of the camp to enable NSKFDC to take necessary action.
6. The SCA may hire vehicle/ auto or cycle rickshaw along with Public Address system a few days before the awareness camp including the awareness camp day to cover the entire locality for informing the safai karamchari and scavenger community about the awareness programme/ camp and give wide publicity to the schemes and programmes of NSKFDC and the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. Other information relating to loan applications, processing of loan applications, training programmes, verification process, documentation requirements, recovery of instalments, etc may also announced. Providing the above information will prepare interested persons from the target group to come prepared to fill up the preliminary/ SCA loan application forms. The SCA should lay special stress on the women folk and the dependants/ youths of the target group to attend the camp.
7. The SCA should make preliminary loan application forms (Annexure-I) in the vernacular language of the target group and the SCA loan application forms available for distribution during the camp so that interested persons from the target group may fill them up and submit it during the camp itself.
8. The SCAs should scrutinized the preliminary application forms submitted in the awareness camps and assess their eligibility to become beneficiaries for loan or training or both; take necessary action for verification, completion of their loan application requirements, etc. and forwarding the project proposals to NSKFDC for sanction.
9. Along with the claim for reimbursement of the expenditure, the SCA shall submit a brief report on the awareness camp held in the format enclosed (Annexure-II).