Question : Working Women as Household Help

(a)the number of women working as “household help” over the last five years in Odisha;
(b)whether the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unjust termination of employment of women working as “household help”;
(c)if so, the details thereof and the corrective actions taken by the Government to extend financial support to them;
(d)whether the State of Odisha has high number of women working as “household work” compared to other States, if so, the reasons therefore and actions taken to remedy the same;
(e)the steps taken by the Government to fix a minimum wage for “household help” and the actions taken thereon to ensure strict adherence; and
(f)whether any instance of suicide by a “household help” due to unemployment has been noted from the State of Odisha during the COVID-19 lockdown?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a) to (e): As per the data collected by National Sample Survey NSSO Statsitics-2011-2012, (68th round) 92,714 workers were estimated to be employed by private households in Odisha.

Contd..2/-

:: 2 ::
COVID – 19 pandemic followed by lockdowns has affected all class of workers across the globe including household help. Under Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana a total of 20.40 crore (approx.) women account holder including household help under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana were given ex-gratia of Rs.500 per month for three months. Additional allocation of food grains at Rs. 5 Kg per month free of cost was provided to all beneficiaries including household help covered under the targeted Public Distribution System. The scheme has been extended for the period April, 2021 to November, 2021. Free of cost LPG cylinders were provided to 8 crore beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana which has also benefitted household help. The Central Government had enacted the Unorganized Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008, now subsumed in the Code on Social Security, 2020, for providing social security to all unorganized workers including domestic workers. The Act provides formulation of social security schemes viz. life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits & old age protection by the central Government. The state Government are mandated under the Act to formulate suitable welfare schemes for unorganized sector workers including domestic workers relating to provident fund, employment injury benefits housing, education schemes for children, skill up gradation of workers, financial assistance & old age homes. Several Central Sector Schemes like PMJJBY, PMSBY, PM-SYM etc. already provide social security cover to all the unorganised workers including domestic workers regarding insurance, disability, pension etc. Domestic Workers Sector Skill Council (DWSSC) under Ministry of Skill Development Entrepreneurship is imparting various skill development training programmes to domestic workers. Ayushman Bharat (PMJAY) provides secondary and tertiary health benefits to all unorganized workers including domestic workers who are covered as eligible beneficiaries as per Socio Economic Caste census Data, 2011. The domestic workers have been brought into the ambit of scheduled employment vide the Government of Odisha notification SRO No. 326/2018 dated 03.08.2018. Their wages will be calculated as per hours of work.


(f): Information is awaited from Government of Odisha.

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