Lok Sabha Question No. 778 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-21
Subject: Welfare of Workers of Unorganised Sector
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 778 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.11.2016

## WELFARE OF WORKERS OF UNORGANISED SECTOR

## 778. SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH:

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

- (a)the details of health benefit  schemes  being  implemented  by Government for the welfare of workers of unorganized sector;
- (b)whethed the Government has any proposal to include more categories  of  workers  under  Employee's  State  Insurance  (ESI) scheme and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)the  details  of  compensation  awarded  by  the  Government  for negligence in treatment of patients in hospitals run by ESIC; and
- (d)the  other  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  protect  the interests of workers of unorganized sector?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

- (a): The  Rashtriya  Swasthya  Bima  Yojana  (RSBY)  is  a  centrally sponsored  scheme  to  provide  health  insurance  coverage  to  Below Poverty  Line  (BPL)  families  and  including  other  11  categories  of Unorganized Workers (MGNREGA  Workers,  Construction  Workers, Domestic workers, Sanitation Workers, Mine Workers, licensed Railway  Porters,  Street  Vendors,  Beedi  Workers,  Rickshaw  Pullers, Rag Pickers and Auto/Taxi drivers). Each family enrolled in the scheme is  entitled  to  hospitalization  benefits  of  upto  INR  30,000  per  annum including maternity benefits on a family floater basis ( a unit of five) in Government empanelled hospitals (includes both private and public). Pre-existing conditions are covered from day one and there is no age limit. Transportation Cost upto Rs. 100/- per hospitalization subject to a maximum of Rs. 1000/- per family per year is also provisioned under the scheme.

- (b) & (c): It  has  been  the  constant  endeavour  of  the  Government  to bring more and more unorganised workers under the Employee State Insurance Scheme. Recently, ESIC has formulated Health Schemes to cover Auto Rickshaw Drivers in Delhi and Domestic workers in Delhi and Hyderabad on pilot basis.
- (d): In order to provide social security benefits to the workers in the unorganised sector, the Government has enacted the Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act, 2008. The 2008 Act stipulates formulation of suitable welfare schemes for unorganised workers 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 through the National Social Security Board. Various Schemes, formulated by the Government  to  provide  social  security  cover  to  the  unorganized workers, listed in the Schedule I of the above Act are as under:
- Indira  Gandhi  National  Old  Age  Pension  Scheme.  (Ministry  of
- i. Rural Development)
- ii.
- National Family Benefit Scheme. (Ministry of Rural Development)
- iii.
- Janani Suraksha Yojana. (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)
- Handloom Weavers' Comprehensive Welfare Scheme. (Ministry of
- iv. Textiles)
- Handicraft Artisans' Comprehensive Welfare Scheme. (Ministry of
- v. Textiles)
- vi.
- Pension to Master Craft Persons. (Ministry of Textiles)
- vii. National  Scheme  for  Welfare  of  Fishermen  and  Training  and Extension. (Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries)
- viii. Aam Admi Bima Yojana. (Department of Financial Services)
- ix. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana. (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)

Central Government  has also launched the Atal Pension Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana for all citizens especially targeting unorganised workers to provide them comprehensive social security.

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