MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI K. CHANDRASEKHAR RAO)
(a) to (f): A statement is annexed.
Statement referred to in part (a) to (f) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3618 for 18.04.2005 regarding Creation of Employment Opportunities.
(a) & (b): The Government has initiated several measures to mitigate the hardships of the labourers in the unorganised sector. The Government have set up Welfare Funds to provide social security/welfare measures to certain categories of workers i.e. beedi workers, certain non-coal mine workers and cine workers. The welfare measures include health care, housing, educational assistance for children, drinking water supply, etc. In addition to this, the Government is implementing various poverty alleviation/employment generations schemes. Further, Janshree Bima Yojana providing for insurance cover to the people living below or marginally above the poverty line is also available for the workers in the unorganised sector. The Universal Health Insurance Scheme (UHIS) providing for health insurance of Rs. 30,000/- per year as hospitalization costs to the people living below the poverty line. The Government has also constituted a National Commission for the Enterprises in the Unorganised/Informal Sector to examine the problems facing enterprises in the unorganised/informal sector. The Government has also introduced the National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill during last session of the Parliament. The objective of the Bill is to guarantee at least 100 days of employment in a year, to atleast one person in every rural household on asset creating public works programmes.
(c) & (d): A number of ILO projects/programmes in India aim at creating conditions for improved working and living conditions for all. The projects/programmes deal directly with the creation of improved opportunities for women to secure decent employment. The projects include Decent Employment for Women in India, Workers` Education for integrating Women Members in Rural Workers` Organisations, etc.
(e) & (f): Ministry of Labour & Employment have not formulated any policy to create more employment opportunities for women in the country. However, attempts are made to provide higher representation of women in the various employment generation and poverty alleviation programmes of the Government.
