Q. What is NSKFDC?

A. NSKFDC stands for National Safai Karmacharis Finance & Development Corporation. It is a 'company not for profit set up under section 25 of the Companies Act, 1996, on 24th January, 1997 by the Government of India Undertaking under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. It is fully owned by the Government of India and has an authorized share capital of Rs. 200 crores.

Q. What is the address of NSKFDC?

A. The office of NSKFDC is located in New Delhi. The complete address and phone numbers are as below:

National Safai Karmacharis Finance & Development Corporation,
B-2, 1st Floor, Greater Kailash Enclave Part II,
New Delhi-110048
Phone : 011-29216330,29221331
Fax: 29222708
E-mail: nskfdc@yahoo.co.in
Website:http://nskfdc.nic.in

Q. Why was it set up?

A. It was set up to act as an apex institution for providing loan at concessional Interest rates to the Safai Karamcharis including scavengers and their dependents for their socio-economic upliftment.

Q. Why is there a separate Corporation for Safai Karamcharies?

A. Concerned with the obnoxious and inhuman occupation performed from generation to generations by the Safai Karamcharies, Scavengers and their dependents who are the most downtrodeen section of the society and are generally poor and suffer from low social status, the Government of India has set up a separate Corporation and dignified income generating activities with training in skills and trade, wherever required.

OBJECTIVES OF NSKFDC

Q. What is the primary objectives of NSKFDC?

A. The primary objective of NSKFDC is to empower the Safai Karamcharis Including Scavengers and their dependents, who are generally improvised, to Break away from their traditional occupation and take up alternative occupations.

Q. Why are the Safai Karamcharis and Scavengers give loan?

A. Loans are made available to persons who are engaged in, or employed for, Manually carrying human excreta or any sanitation work and also their dependents to empower them to break away from their traditional occupation and take up alternative and dignified occupation.

Q. Why are the dependants of Safai Karamcharis and Scabbengers also given loans.

A. The Government of India intends to break the traditional link of certain caste/communities with the occupation of being engaged in, or employed for, manually carrying human excreta or any sanitation work which has been continuing from generations to generations. This can be achieved if the dependants of the Safai Karamcharis/Scavengers are empowered to take up alternative and dignified occupations through loans from NSKFDC and other Government programmes with training in skills and trades, wherever required, so that they do not fall prey to economic compulsions of taking up the traditional occupation.

ABOUT SCAVENGING

Q. What is manual scavenging?

A. Manual Scavenging has been defined in the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993 as 'a person engaged in, or employed for, manually carting human excreta of any sanitation work'.

Q. What can NSKFDC do for the Safai Karamcharis, Scavengers and their dependents?

A. NSKFDC can promote economic development activities including self- employment ventures and loan for higher/professional education for their benefit and/or rehabilitation with training in skills and trades, wherever required.

DEFINITION OF SCAVENGERS

Q. What is the definition of Scavenger?

A. Scavenge means and includes a Safai Karamchari wholly or partially employed for manual handling of human excreta and includes his dependents.

DEFINITION OF SAFAI KARAMCHARI

Q. What is the definition of Safai Karamcharis?

A. Safai Karamcharis means a person engaged in, or employed for any sanitation work and includes hi dependents.

ABOUT SCHEMES FINANCED BY NSKFDC

Q. What are the types of schemes financed by NSKFDC?

A. Any income-generating activities of the beneficiary's preference, which are financially viable, are financed by NSKFDC.

Q. Can a beneficiary chose the schemes of his/her preference?

A. Yes. The choice of the schemes is left entirely to the beneficiary. While choosing the scheme the beneficiary should keep in view his/her aptitude, skills already possessing or skills to be acquired, local environment, market potentials, etc.

Q. To whom are loans given?

A. Loans are given to Safai Karmacharis/scavengers and their dependents, either individually or in groups, by way of grants, subsidy, loans or advances for economically and financially viabale income generating schemes and projects.

Q. What are the eligibility criteria?

A. The beneficiary should be a Scavenger/Safai Karamchari of their dependents, duly identified under the existing NSLRS OR A REGISTERED CO-operative society of Safai Karmacharis or legally constituted association/firm promoted by the target group and all those who could not be covered under the survey already conducted in this regard but produce a certificate form local Revenue Officer or an officer of local Municipal office or a Cantonment Executive Officer of the Cantonment, or an officer of the Railways not below the rank of gazetted officer.

Q. Who will issue the certificate of being a Scavenger/Safai Karmchari or their dependents/

A. The local Municipal office or a Cantonment Executive officer of the Cantonment, or an officer of the Railways not below the rank of gazetted officer will issue the certificate of being a Scavenger/Safai Karamchari or their dependents for their employees. The Revenue officer not below the rank of gazetted officer.

Q. Who will issue the certificate of being a Scavenger/Safai Karamachari or their dependents?

A. The local Municipal office or a Cantonment Executive officer of the Cantonment, or an officer of the Railways not below the rank of gazetted officer wil issue the certificate of being a Scavengers/Safai Karamchari or their dependents for their employees. The revenue officer not below the rank of gazetted officer will issue certificate in this regard for those who are employed by other authorities/agencies/offices or who are working in private houses/buildings/establishment.

Q. What procedure will the Revenue officer follow?

A. Procedure to be followed by the Revenue officer for issuing a certificate of being a Scavenger/Safai Karamacharis of their dependents would vary from State to State. He may issue certificate based on the procedures by the State Government/UT administration. It may include carrying out routine verification procedure of obtaining certificate form the village pradhan, pramukh, hospital/hotel/office management et.

Q. Is the eligibility based on Caste?

A. No. the eligibility is not based on Caste or Caste certificate. Eligibility is based on occupation and in this case the person should be a Safai Karmchari or Scavenger or should be their dependent.

Q. Why is eligibility based on occupation?

A. Eligibility is not based on caste but on occupation as it is the obnoxious and inhuman occupation of manual scavenging being performed by certain persons which the Government intends to eliminate and rehabilitate the persons liberated from such occupation in alternative and dignified occupation.

Q. Is there are income limit?

A. No income limit is fixed for availing financial assistance. However, other things being equal, the Company shall accord priority to economic development and, rehabilitation of:
iii). Scavengers, and amongst Scavenger s, those Scavengers whose income is below double property line;
iii). Women form among the target group and
iii). Disabled persons among the target group.

Q. Why is priority given to women?

A. Priority is given to women as it is found that women belonging to Safai Karmchari/Scavenger community are made vulnerable and are compelled to perform manual carrying of human excreta or any sanitation work.

ABOUT TERM LOAN FOR REGULAR SHEMES

Q. What is the limit of term loan for regular schemes?

A. Term loan assistance is provided for project costing up to Rs. 5 lakhs.

Q. What should be the quantum of loan?

A. The quantum of loan should be sufficient to generate enough income to the beneficiary to push him above the poverty line and abandon scavenging work for his livelihood. This is an important aspect because imparting of assistance thinly without generating sufficient income for the beneficiary would defeat the purpose.

ABOUT THERM LOAN FOR P;URCHASE OF
SANITARY EQUIPMENTS

Q. What is the limit of term loan for schemes involving purchase of sanitary waste disposal vehicles and equipments?

i). For the purpose of acquiring vehicles/equipments for removal of sanitary waste and garage, term loan assistance for projects costing upto Rs. 10 lakhs may be financed.

Q. Why is NSKFDC giving loan for purchased of sanitary waste disposal vehicles and equipments?

i). There has been cases where scavengers perform manual scavenging particularly cleaning/clearing septic tanks using buckets as a result they are exposed to hazardous and unhealthy conditions. This is taking place wherever mechanized Equipments are either not available or the available machineries are not able to carter to demand. Purchase of such machineries is provided in order to stop manual Scavenging.

ABOUT MICRO CREDIT FINANCE (MCF)

Q. Is MCF loan provided by NSKFDC?

i). Yes. Term loan assistance for Micro Credit Finance (MCF) for engaging in small and party trade/business and sundry income generating activities is provided to the SCAs for projects costing upto Rs. 5 lakhs.

Q. What is the extent of loan provided to each beneficiary?

i). The loan provided is restricted to Rs. 30,000/- per beneficiary.

Q. Can SCAs is implement MICF through NGO?

i). The SCAs may implement MCF through reputed NGOs.

Q. What is the extent of term loan provided for MCF?

i). Term loan can be provided up to the maximum of 90% of the cost of project cost and the remaining 10% is to be provided by the SCA

Q. What is the rate of interest payable by beneficiary under MCF?

i). The rate of interest payable by the beneficiary is 5%

ABOUT MAHILA SAMRIDHI YOJANA (MSY)

Q. Is loan under MSY provided by NSKFDC?

i). Yes. Term loan assistance for Mahila Samridhi Yojna (MSY) for engaging in small and petty trade/business and sundry income generating activities is provided to women and the dependant daughter of Safai Karmcharis and Scavengers through the SCAs for projects costing upto Rs. 10 lakhs.

Q. What is the extent of loan provided to each beneficiary?

i). The loan provided is restricted to Rs. 30,000/- per beneficiary.

Q. Can SCAs implement MSY through reputed NGOs?

i). The SCAs may implement MSY through reputed NGOs.

Q. What is the extent of term loan provided for MSY?

i). Term loan can be provided up to the maximum of 90% of the cost of project cost and the remaining 10% is to be provided by the SCA.

Q. What is the rate of interest payable by beneficiary under MSY?

i). The rate of interest payable by the women beneficiary is 4%.

ABOUT EDUCATION LOAN

Q. Is education loan given?

i). Yes, education loan upto Rs. 3 Lakhs is extended to students from the community of Safai Karmcharis/Scavengers for pursing professional /higher or technical education to become Doctors, Nurse, Engineers, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants, Hotel Management etc.

Q. What is the moratorium period?

i). The moratorium of the education loan is co-terminus with the course for which loan has been obtained.

Q. Why is the moratorium period co-terminus with the course?

i). Moratorium period is Co-terminus with the course as the student would have already obtained degree for the professional course and would be either able to obtain employment or be self employed and capable to repaying the loan.

Q. What is the rate of interest payable by the student?

i). The rate of interest is the similar to that of term loan for regular schemes i.e.6%.

ABOUT BRIDGE LOAN
Q. Is bridge loan provided?

i). Yes, Bridge Loan may be provided against investment subsidy sanctioned or any other source of fund sanctioned by any recognized agencies for projects costing upto Rs. 5 lakhs but not disbursable within implementation period of the project including activation related activities.

ABOUT WORKING CAPITAL

Q. Is working capital provider?

i). Yes, 100% working capital required by the unit is provided and it should be made part of the unit coast and it is financed as per existing terms and condition of the term loan.

ABOUT OTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
FINANCED BY NSKFDC
Q. Does NSKFDC finance infrastructure activities?

i). The Corporation can finance infrastructure activities where its development leads directly to income generation like Pay & Use Toilets.

Q. What are the other activities of NSKFDC?

i). To promote training, quality control, technology upgradation, and common facility centers for carrying out sanitation works. NSKFDC also assist in the up-gradation of technical and entrepreneurial skills of persons belonging to the community of Safai Karmcharis or their dependents for proper and efficient management of production and service units set up by them.

Q. Does NSKFDC assist in procurement of raw materials and marketing?

i). Yes, NSKFDC assist self-employed individuals or group of individuals feom the community of Safai Karmcharis including their dependant or units/cooperatives set up by them in procurement of raw materials or other outputs and marketing of finished goods or services.

ABOUT TRAINIG

Q. Is training provided by NSKFDC?

i). Yes. Financial assistance in the form 100% grant to the extent of Rs. 1 lakh per project is provided by NSKFDC to the SCA and Central Government and State Government agencies for imparting skill and entrepreneurial development for Safai Karmcharis and their dependent for taking up income generating activities in industry, Service & Business sector.

Q. What are the types or training programmes?

i). There are 3 types of training programmes namely, institutional linkage programms (ILP): skill up-gradation Training Programme (STP) and Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP).

Q. What is ILP?

i). ILP is a training programme under which the eligible candidates sponsored by the SCAs are given training in specialized traded for a period of one to six months with stipend and boarding in reputed training institutes in the country.

Q. What is STP?

i). STP is a training programme under which practicing craftsmen/artisans are given training for skill upgradation to equip them to the changing market demands. Normally the training is non-residential and the duration of training is 10 days to 2 months.

Q. What is EDP?

i). EDP is a training programme for imparted skills and knowledge to the beneficiaries to equip them to set up their own business. The duration of the training is 10 days to 3 months and normally the programme is non-residential.