(a) whether the Government proposes to formulate any scheme for textile workers including powerloom and garments in the country to improve their working conditions and low wages of the employees working in the said profession;
(b) if so, the details thereof and steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
(c) the concrete steps taken by the Government to ameliorate the pitiable working conditions of the workers engaged
in the said professions?
(MINISTER OF TEXTILES) (SHRI ANAND SHARMA)
(a) to (c): Government of India is implementing following schemes for improving the working and economic conditions of
Textiles workers of different sector:-
(i) Government is implementing Textile Workers Rehabilitation Fund Scheme (TWRFS) for providing relief to the textile
workers rendered unemployed owing to permanent closure of entire/partial textile unit in the private sector to enable
them to settle in another employment.Â
(ii) Government is implementing Group Insurance Scheme for the Powerloom workers in association with LIC. Under the
scheme, the powerloom workers are required to pay premium of only Rs. 80/- against the total premium
of Rs. 330/- per worker per annum. The balance is paid by Govt and LIC to the tune of of Rs.150/- and Rs.100
respectively. The scheme provides for payment of Rs.60,000/- in the event of natural death, Rs.1.50 lakhs in case of
accidental death or permanent disability and Rs.75,000/- in case of partial disability. Besides this, the insured
Powerloom worker is also eligible for educational assistance @Rs.100/- per month per child, for two children for a
period of four years from Standard IX to XII.
(iii) Government of India has introduced the scheme for development of skills of the workers in all segments of
textiles including garment and powerlooms. This scheme has been introduced with the objective of giving proper
training so that the workers can get employment and earn more wage than the wage of un-skilled workers.
(iv) Government is implementing two separate schemes viz. the Health Insurance Scheme (HIS) for providing Health
Insurance to the Handloom weavers and Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana (MGBBY) for providing Life Insurance Cover in
case of natural/ accidental death, total/partial disability due to accident.
Total benefits worth Rs.15,000 are available to 4 members of the family under the Health Insurance Scheme, out
of which upto 50% provision of Rs.7,500 is for OPD.
Under Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana, life insurance cover is provided for Handloom weavers and ancillary
workers. Besides this, the insured Handloom worker is eligible for Scholarships of Rs.300/- (per quarter per child)
to children studying in Class IX to XII.
(v) Government is implementing ‘Health Insurance Scheme under the Centrally sponsored Catalytic Development Programme
for the exclusive benefit of Women sericulturists through the Central Silk Board. The insurance premium of Rs. 767.28
per beneficiary is being shared among Govt. of India, State and beneficiary at 75:15:10 basis. The scheme covers not
only the women as the prime insurer but also her husband and two children (1+3), covering all pre-existing diseases
as well as keeping substantial provision for Out Patient Department (OPD), upto a maximum of Rs.15,000/- per year.