(a) whether the Government has conducted any study on the health condition of the unorganized/unskilled labourers of the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to improve the health condition of the unorganized/unskilled labourers?
MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI K. CHANDRASEKHAR RAO)
(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) TO (C) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 133 FOR 27.02.2006 REGARDING HEALTH CONDITION OF UNORGANISED LABOURERS.
(a) to (c): Studies on the working and living conditions including health of labourers of certain occupational groups among the unorganised labourers of the country are conducted from time to time.
Since a majority of the unorganised sector workers are poor and their socio-economic, working and living condition are not as good as those of the organised workers, these affect their health conditions and they suffer from diseases and ailments like deficiencies due to mal nutrition, T.B., skin diseases, respiratory, diseases of eyes, etc.
The Government has recently launched National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), which seeks to provide effective health care to rural population including unorganised sector workers throughout the country. The Universal Health Insurance Scheme (UHIS) is in operation for ‘Below Poverty Line’ families, which provides for health insurance cover of Rs. 30,000/- and accidental cover of Rs. 25,000/- in case of death of earning head of family. Ministry of Labour & Employment has set up welfare funds for certain occupational groups i.e. beedi, cine and certain non-coal mine workers. The benefits under these welfare funds include medical, health care through hospitals and dispensaries, reimbursement in case of major ailments like T.B., Heart Surgery, and Kidney Transplant, etc. Recently, Ministry of Textiles have launched health insurance scheme for weavers. The benefits include health insurance cover of Rs. 15,000/- for family of four and maternity benefit @ Rs. 2000/- (two l
ive births). Janshree Bima Yojana a group insurance scheme being implemented by Life Insurance Corporation of India provides insurance cover of Rs. 20,000/- in case of natural death; Rs. 50,000/- in case of death or permanent total disability due to accident. Some of the States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been running similar schemes for workers in certain occupational groups.