Lok Sabha Question No. 455 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-05
Subject: Domestic Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: ABHISHEK SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 455 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.02.2018

## DOMESTIC WORKERS

## 455. SHRI ABHISHEK SINGH:

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

- (a)whether existing laws, regulations, wage standards are applicable to  class  of  domestic  workers  in  the  country  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b)the total number of domestic workers in the country, State/UT-wise, Gender-wise;
- (c)whether the Government is considering to ensure minimum wages to  them;  (d)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  efforts  being made by Government for betterment of such labourers;
- (e)whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  create  an  institutional mechanism  to  provide  for  social  security  cover,  fair  terms  of employment, grievance redressal and dispute resolution for domestic workers; and
- (f)if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): The  Unorganised  Workers'  Social  Security  Act,  2008,  has  been enacted to provide social security relating to life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old age protection to the unorganised workers including Domestic Workers.
- (b): No, such data is maintained at the Central level.

(c) & (d): Many  of  the  State  Government  like  Rajasthan,  Kerala, Punjab, Tamilnadu and Tripura  have included domestic workers in the schedule of the Minimum Wages Act and they are therefore entitled to (file cases) before the concerned authorities in case of any grievance in this regard.

(e) & (f): The  Unorganised  Workers'  Social  Security  Act,  2008,  has been enacted to provide social security relating to life and disability cover, health  and  maternity  benefits, old age  protection  to the unorganised workers including domestic workers. Various Ministries/Departments  of  the  Central  Government  are  implementing such  social  security  schemes  like  Indira  Gandhi  National  Old  Age Pension  Scheme  (Ministry  of  Rural  Development);  National  Family Benefit  Scheme  (Ministry  of  Rural  Development);  Janani  Suraksha Yojana  (Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare),  Rashtriya  Swasthya Bima Yojana (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) as mentioned in the  Schedule  I  of  the  2008  Act.    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  including  domestic  workers  for  the  age group  of  18  to  50  years  depending  upon  their  eligibility.  Converged PMJJBY gives coverage of Rs. 2 lakhs on death at premium of Rs. 330/per annum while Converged PMSBY gives coverage of Rs. 2 lakhs on accidental death and disability at premium of Rs. 12 per annum. 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.

******