(a)whether the Government proposes to bring more welfare schemes for labourers;
(b)if so, the details thereof;
(c)whether the Government also proposes to regularize the services of casual labourers/daily wagers and if so, the details thereof;
(d)whether rules have also been formulated for fixing the working hours of such labourers and if so, the details thereof; and
(e)the mechanism put in/likely to be put in place for implementation and monitoring of the said schemes?
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 PART (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 182 FOR ANSWER ON 01.01.2018 BY SHRI AJAY NISHAD REGARDING WELFARE SCHEMES FOR LABOURERS.
(a), (b) & (e) The Ministry of Labour & Employment, through its Labour Welfare Organizations across the country, implements welfare schemes relating to housing, education and health for beedi workers, mica mine workers, limestone & dolomite mine workers, iron ore manganese, chrome ore mine workers and cine workers. These schemes were earlier administered through 5 Welfare Cess and Welfare Funds under various Cess Acts of Parliament. Now, these cesses have been abolished/subsumed in GST and the welfare schemes have been retained with funding from the Consolidated Fund of India. Salient features of these welfare schemes: are as follows:
(i) Revised Integrated Housing Scheme-2016: Subsidy of Rs. 1,50,000 for construction of a new house is provided to the workers in three installments in the ratio of 25:60:15.
(ii) Education Scheme: Financial Assistance varying from Rs. 250 to Rs. 15,000 per year is provided to the wards of the workers studying in classes I to XII or pursuing non-professional and professional degree/graduate/post graduate courses.
(iii) Health Scheme: Health care facilities are provided to the workers and their dependents through 12 hospitals and 286 dispensaries under Labour Welfare Organizations all over the country. In addition, reimbursement of expenditure for specialized treatment taken in Government recognized hospitals is also provided.
In addition to the above welfare schemes, the Central Government has recently converged the social security schemes of Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY) with Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) to provide life and disability coverage to the unorganised workers depending upon their eligibility. PMJJBY gives coverage of Rs. 2 lakhs on death at premium of Rs. 330/- per annum for an age span from 18 to 50 years. PMSBY gives coverage of Rs. 2 lakhs on accidental death and disability at premium of Rs. 12 per annum covering an age span from 18 years to 70 years. These converged schemes are being implemented by Life Insurance Corporation of India. The annual premium is shared on 50:50 basis by the Central Government and the State Governments.
(c) No, Madam.
(d) The working conditions of casual workers/daily wagers depend upon the labour laws applicable on the establishment they are engaged.
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