Lok Sabha Question No. 1998 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-27
Subject: Welfare Facilities for Coal Mine Workers
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: PINAKI MISRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1998 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2017

## Welfare Facilities for Coal Mine Workers

## 1998. SHRI PINAKI MISRA:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  welfare  facilities  being  provided  by  the  Government  for  the  coal  mine workers and their family members;
- (b) whether it is mandatory for the coal mine workers to undergo medical check-up annually;
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) the details of special hospital facilities available for the coal mine workers in the country?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL, POWER, NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES

## (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a): Coal  India  Limited  (CIL)    have    well-structured  welfare  schemes/facilities  for    housing, water  supply,  sanitation,  maintenance  of      roads  and  proper  upkeep  of  colonies,  indoor  and outdoor  medical  treatment,  post-retirement  medical  benefits,  games  and  sports,  gymnasiums, yoga  Kendra,  recreational  facilities  e.g.  club,  stadium,  playgrounds,  children  park,  library, community centre, canteen, rest shelter, bank, co-operative stores, education facilities including provision  of    school  bus  for  children,  scholarship  schemes  for  the  wards  of  the  employees, reimbursement of tuition fees and hostel charges of the wards of the employees pursuing study in all Govt. Engineering and Medical Colleges, award/ reward to the employees and their wards for their  achievement  in  their  areas  of  work/education/games  etc.  Maternity  leave  and  child  care leave facilities are given to the women employees of the company. Coal mine workers are also getting the facilities of Provident Fund and Pension as per Coal Mines Provident Fund Scheme, 1948 and Coal Mines Pension Scheme, 1998.

(b& c) :Annual medical check-up is not mandatory for  coal mine workers. They are required to undergo Periodical Medical examination (PME) after every five years as per Rule 29 B (b) of Mines  Rules,  1955.  However,  on  the  recommendation  of  the  10th Conference  on  Safety  in Mines held in 2007, frequency of periodical medical examination has been brought down from existing five years to three years for the mining employees above 45 years of age. Employees  engaged  in  food  handling  and  preparation  and  handling  of  steaming  material activities  are  undergoing  routine stool  examination  once  in  every  six  months and sputum  for AFB and chest radiograph once in a year. Employees engaged in driving/ Heavy Earth Moving Machinery operation jobs are undergoing eye refraction test once in a year. (d): CIL and its subsidiary companies provide full medical facilities to all employees and their dependent family  members.    The contractual workers are also provided treatment and occupational health service through the company.  Such facilities are being provided through 72 hospitals  own  by  CIL  spread  across  the  coal  mining  areas.  Moreover,  wherever  required, employees and their dependent family member are referred to outside Government and private hospitals. There are 299 super-speciality, multi-speciality and single speciality private empaneled hospitals all  over  India  where  the  employees  and  their  dependent  family  members  can  avail treatment free of cost whenever referred. Retired employees along with  their spouses can also

receive treatment in these hospitals.

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