Lok Sabha Question No. 2687 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-12
Subject: Beedi Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: BHARATENDRA SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2687 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2018

## BEEDI WORKERS

## 2687. KUNWAR BHARATENDRA:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)whether the Government has any data about the number of unorganized workers involved in the beedi industry in terms of gender, literacy, wages, etc. and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)the steps taken/being taken by the Government to safeguard the health of workers engaged in the beedi industry; and
- (c)whether the Government has been able to reach the targeted number of beneficiaries under the Integrated Housing Scheme, 2016 for beedi workers and if so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  implementation status of the said scheme?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

- (a): A  total  of  48  Lakh  workers  are  registered  under  Labour  Welfare Organisation who are engaged in beedi industry. Details are at AnnexureA.
- (b): 12  Hospitals  and  286  Dispensaries  are      functioning  across  the country under Labour Welfare Organisation to cater the health care needs of the Beedi workers and their families. In addition, financial assistance is  given  to  beedi  workers  and  their  dependants,  referred  to  other Government  recognized  hospitals  for  treatment  of  certain  diseases. Details are at Annexure-B.
- (c): This Ministry is providing Housing Subsidy of Rs. 1.50 Lakh in three installments  to  beedi  workers  for  construction  of  a  pucca  house  under Revised  Integrated  Housing  Scheme,  2016.  So  far,  more  than  7500 workers have availed the benefit of RIHS-2016.

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## ANNEXURE-A

## Gender and Stat/UT wise details of beedi workers

| Sl.No.   | Name of the Region   | Male      | Female    | Total     |
|----------|----------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| 1        | Ahmedabad            | 22324     | 19684     | 42008     |
| 2        | Ajmer                | 3854      | 38959     | 42813     |
| 3        | Allahabad            | 90046     | 360182    | 450228    |
| 4        | Bangalore            | 30975     | 213437    | 244412    |
| 5        | Bhubaneswar          | 39439     | 118314    | 157753    |
| 6        | Hyderabad            | 41298     | 371686    | 412984    |
| 7        | Jabalpur             | 632791    | 421861    | 1054652   |
| 8        | Kolkata              | 366713    | 1305073   | 1671786   |
| 9        | Guwahati             | 4010      | 5144      | 9154      |
| 10       | Kannur               | 2005      | 30027     | 32032     |
| 11       | Nagpur               | 16945     | 171605    | 188550    |
| 12       | Patna                | 92913     | 201003    | 293916    |
| 13       | Raipur               | 6776      | 11981     | 18757     |
| 14       | Tirunelveli          | 5967      | 73938     | 79905     |
| 15       | Ranchi               | 48213     | 65195     | 113408    |
|          | Total                | 14,04,269 | 34,08,089 | 48,12,358 |

## HEALTH SCHEME

Besides providing  health  care  facilities  through  12  Hospitals  and  286  Dispensaries across the country, the following assistance is given to workers for treatment of  certain categories of diseases, as under :-

|   S.No. | PURPOSE                                                                                       | NATURE OF ASSITANCE                                                                                                                                                                       |
|---------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Tuberculosis                                                                                  | Reservation of beds in T.B. Hospitals and domiciliary treatment for workers. Subsistence allowance of Rs. 750/- to Rs. 1000/- p.m is granted as per the advice of the treating physician. |
|       2 | Heart Diseases                                                                                | Reimbursement of expenditure up to Rs. 1,30,000/- to workers.                                                                                                                             |
|       3 | Kidney Transplantation                                                                        | Reimbursement of expenditure up to Rs. 2,00,000/- to workers.                                                                                                                             |
|       4 | Cancer                                                                                        | Reimbursement of actual expenses on treatment, medicines and diet charges incurred by workers, or their dependents for treatment through Govt. recognized hospitals.                      |
|       5 | Minor surgery like Hernia, Appendectomy, Ulcer Gynecological diseases and Prostrate diseases. | Reimbursement of expenditure up to Rs. 30,000/- to workers and their dependents.                                                                                                          |

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