MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)
(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 408 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.3.2020 BY SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT, SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPAILSINH ALIAS SHRI PAWAN RAJENIMBALKAR REGARDING WELFARE AND UPLIFTMENT OF UNSKILLED AND SKILLED LABOURERS.
(a) to (e): In order to harvest dividend of young population of the country and to provide skilled training to the unskilled semi-skilled and unemployed youth, workforce, Government of India launched National Skill Development Mission. It intends to create convergence across sectors and States in terms of skill training activities. Under the Mission, there are about 20 Central Ministries/Departments including Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) involved in the implementation of more than 40 schemes for various skill development programmes to develop skilled manpower to meet the requirements of different sectors. Major schemes include Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), Rural Self Employment and Training Institutes (RSETI), Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), etc. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 2016-20 is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship being implemented with an objective to provide skill development training (Short Term Training (STT) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)) across the country in diverse sectors.
Further to provide social security benefits to the workers in the unorganised sector, including agricultural labourers, Government enacted the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008. This Act stipulates formulation of suitable welfare schemes for unorganised workers including farm labourers on matters relating to: (i) life and disability cover, (ii) health and maternity benefits, (iii) old age protection and (iv) any other benefit as may be determined by the Central Government.
The Life and Disability cover for the unorganised workers is being addressed through Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY). The PMJJBY provides life insurance cover of Rs. 2 lakh on payment of premium of Rs. 330 per annum. PMJJBY is available to people in the age group of 18 to 50 years. PMSBY provides insurance coverage of Rs. 2 lakh on accidental death or full disability, and Rs. 1 lakh on partial disability on payment of premium of Rs. 12 per annum. The Scheme is available to people in the age group of 18 to 70 years. The total combined annual premium for PMJJBY&PMSBY is Rs.342/- which is shared equally between the State Government and Central Government.
The Heath and Maternity benefits is being addressed through Ayushman Bharat Scheme which is an universal health scheme being implemented by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. In order to provide old age protection to the unorganised workers, Ministry of Labour and Employment is implementing Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM), w.e.f. 15-02-2020 which is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme for providing monthly minimum assured pension of Rs. 3000/- on attaining the age of 60 years. The unorganised workers in the age group of 18-40 years whose monthly income is Rs. 15000/- or less and not a member of EPFO/ESIC/NPS(Govt. funded) can join the scheme. Under the scheme, 50% monthly contribution is payable by the beneficiary and equal matching contribution is paid by the Central Government.
Revised Integrated Housing Scheme (RIHS) 2016, was introduced w.e.f. 22.03.2016 to provide subsidy of Rs.1, 50,000/- (per beneficiary) in three (3) instalments in the ratio of 25:60:15 (ie Rs.37, 500, Rs.90,000 and Rs.22, 500) to Beedi/Iron Ore Mines, Manganese Ore & Chrome Ore Mines (IOMC)/Limestone Mines, Dolomite Mines (LSDM)/Mica Mines and Cine Workers for construction of pucca houses. In the meeting of the EFC held on 11.5.2018 under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Expenditure) to consider Labour Welfare Schemes for Beedi/cine/Mica/Iron Ore, Chrome Ore / Limestone and Dolomite Mines workers, it was decided for convergence of Revised Integrated Hosing Scheme(RIHS) with the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna (PMAY) of the Ministry of Urban Development(Urban) and Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna (Grameen) of the Ministry of Rural Development. No new applications are being accepted under RIHS, 2016 any more.
The benefits under the scheme Financial Assistance for Education to the Wards of Beedi/ Cine /Iron Manganese , Chrome , Limestone and Dolomite Mines workers, are being transferred through DBT system and the applications under this scheme are invited and processed online, through the National Scholarship Portal. Under this Scheme Financial Assistance from Rs. 250/- to Rs.15,000/- (depending upon class/course) for students studying form Class 1st to Professional degree course.
Health care facilities are being provided to Beedi, Cine and Non Coal Mine workers and to their families through 10 Hospitals and 286 Dispensaries located across the country. Reimbursement of expenditure is made for specialized treatment taken under Government recognized Hospitals in case of critical diseases like cancer, TB, Heart diseases, Kidney transplantation etc.
DGFASLI has conducted safety and occupational health surveys to ascertain the status of working conditions, safety and health of the workers in factories. Unit Level Consultancy Studies are also undertaken at the request of the management. The details of such studies and surveys conducted by DGFASLI during the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 are given as Annexure IA, Annexure IB and Annexure IC.
As per the Hon’ble Supreme Court order no. 1028/2006/SC/PILW dated 30th August, 2016, occupational safety and health survey for silicosis was carried out by DGFASLI jointly with State Factory Inspectorates throughout the country and the status reports have already been submitted to the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India on 8th March, 2018.
Further, a National Study on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Environment was conducted in Asbestos Cement Product Industries from November, 2018 to February, 2019.
The Government of India has declared the National Policy on Safety, Health and Environment at Workplace (NPSHEW) which aims to establish a preventive safety and health culture in the country through elimination of the incidence of work related injuries, diseases, fatalities, disasters and to enhance the well-being of employees in all the sectors of economic activity in the country.
Further, for the manufacturing sector, the Government of India has enacted a comprehensive legislation i.e., the Factories Act, 1948, for ensuring the occupational safety, health and welfare of the workers employed in the factories registered under the Factories Act, 1948. There are elaborate provisions pertaining to the health, safety, welfare, hazardous processes, working hours, penalties and procedures etc., and the Rules framed thereunder are adequate to ensure safety and health of the workers working in registered factories.
For the port sector, the Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Act, 1986 has been enacted by the Central Government to take care of safety, health and welfare of the dock workers working in the ports. The Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Act, 1986 and Regulations, 1990 framed thereunder are being enforced by DGFASLI through the Inspectorate of Dock Safety offices in the major ports of the country.
Further, officials of Directorate General of Mines Safety, regularly make inspection of the mines and if any irregularities/ deficiencies in relation to safety, health and welfare are found concerned mine management are addressed for the redressal.
Occupational health survey were carried out in various state/UT in the year 2015, 2016, 2017,2018 and 2019 by National Institute of Miners’ Health, Nagpur in collaboration with DGMS and by this Directorate with the help of state Government to detect cases of silicosis. In the survey 391 cases of silicosis have been detected. The State/ UT-wise details of Silicosis cases are given below:
Name of State/ UT No. of Silicosis case
Jharkhand 11
Madhya Pradesh 64
Rajasthan 216
Gujarat 8
Karnataka 27
Andhra Pradesh 11
Telangana 11
Tamilnadu 19
Chhattisgarh 2
Goa 15
Uttar Pradesh 07
Total 391
The matters relating to safety, health and welfare of persons employed in the mines are dealt with under the Mines Act, 1952, Rules and Regulations made there under. Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India administers this Act for ensuring safety in the mines in the country. The owner, agent, manager and other statutory persons appointed at the mines are required to comply with the provisions of the statute.
To ensure that the mine workers are provided with adequate safety measures while working in the mines, Officers of DGMS undertake inspections of mines and take following measures:
1. Pointing out contraventions
2. Withdrawal of permission
3. Issue of improvement notices
4. Prohibition of employment
5. Informal stoppages
6. Prosecution in the court of law
To maintain the safety of labourers working under great risk conditions in mines, the following steps are also taken/being taken by the DGMS:
(i) To promote and propagate safety awareness in mines, National Safety Awards (Mines), National Conference on Safety in Mines are organized by DGMS. The recommendations of National Conference on Safety in Mines go a long way in enhancing safety of mine workers.
(ii) Workers participation and sensitization in matters of safety are ensured through training in safety and by initiatives like observance of safety week and safety campaigns, etc.
(iii) Safety training programmes are organized among Managers and Supervisors for improving safety standards in mines.
(iv) Introduction of Risk Assessment Techniques and preparation of safety management plan aimed at elimination of risks and to ensure safety of workmen.
(v) Introduction of standard operating procedures to avoid unsafe practices in mines.
Time to time, DGMS Circulars are issued as guidelines for safe operations in identified thrust areas.
Further, the Government has introduced “The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2019” to consolidate and amend the laws regulating the occupational safety, health and working conditions of the persons employed in an establishment and the matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Funds under PMJJBY/PMSBY and PM-SYM are not allocated to the State/UT governments, for implementation. However, the expenditure incurred on Social Security Scheme of PMJJBY/PMSBY from the Social Security Fund maintained by LIC, during last three years towards providing insurance cover is as under:
Year Expenditure (Cr.)
2016-17 385.34
2017-18 435.16
2018-19 587.52
The budget and expenditure details for the PM-SYM scheme is as under:
Scheme 2018-19 2019-20
(Amount in Rs. Crore)
BE/RE Expenditure BE RE Total Expenditure/ Fund Allocated to LIC (as on 31.12.2019)
PMSYM 0/50 49.49 500 408 352.67
Note: BE/RE – Budget Estimates / Revised Estimates
The expenditure details under Health, Education and Housing are provided at Annexure 2.
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