Lok Sabha Question No. 2196 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-01
Subject: Contractual Workers in Mining Sector
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: SRINIVAS KESINENI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2196 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.01.2018

## CONTRACTUAL WORKERS IN MINING SECTOR

2196. SHRI KESINENI NANI:

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

- (a)whether the number of contractual workers is higher than the number of permanent workers in mining sector and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b)whether there are any differences between the safety, retirement benefits and compensation regulations between permanent and contractual labourers;
- (c)if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (d)the  details  and  the  status  of  the  study  being  conducted  to  gauge  the prevalence of silicosis throughout the country?

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

- (a): As per the details provided by Directorate General of Mines Safety(DGMS)  under  the  Ministry  of  Labour  &  Employment,  the  number  of contract workers are not higher than the regular workers.  The details are as provided:-

| Mining(Average Daily Employment)   | Mining(Average Daily Employment)   | Mining(Average Daily Employment)   | Mining(Average Daily Employment)   |
|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
| Year                               | Regular                            | Contract                           | Total                              |
| 2011                               | 472,618                            | 93,541                             | 566,159                            |
| 2012                               | 461,003                            | 100,411                            | 561,414                            |
| 2013                               | 470,757                            | 98,488                             | 569,245                            |
| 2014                               | 464,425                            | 99,335                             | 563,760                            |
| 2015                               | 458,165                            | 104,915                            | 563,080                            |

(b) & (c): The Mines Act, 1952 does not differentiate between the permanent and contractual labourer.  However, the retirement benefits does not come under the purview of the Mines Act, 1952.

The compensation is covered under the Employees' Compensation Act, 1923 and is given by the respective mining companies or owners.

- (d): A  project  costing Rs.  4.68  Crore  on  'Multicentric  study  of  dust related diseases in stone mines and development of sustainable preventive programme'  has  been  undertaken  jointly  by  Union  Ministry  of  Labour  and Employment and Ministry of Mines in collaboration with National Institutes of Miners' Health, Nagpur (an autonomous institute under Ministry of Mines), to address  the  Silicosis  related  health  issues  of  stone  mines  and  quarries workers  of  unorganized  sector  situated  in  different  parts  of  the  country, which  would  include  the  dust  profiling,  disease  profiling,  profiling  of  the nature of mining  operations prevalently contributing to occurrence  of silicosis, etc. The findings of the project would help in identifying the genesis of the occurrence of silicosis and appropriate mitigation measures for future control and prevention.

National Institutes of Miners' Health, Nagpur has carried out the occupational health and safety survey of mine workers upto October, 2017 in four(4) states namely Telangana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana in which 105 cases of Silicosis have been detected out of 1566 persons examined.

|    | State         | District     |   No. Of Persons Medically examined |   silicosis Cases |
|----|---------------|--------------|-------------------------------------|-------------------|
| 1  | Telangana     | Nalgonda     |                                 251 |                 0 |
| 2  | Rajasthan     | Dholpur      |                                 300 |                42 |
| 3  | Rajasthan     | Jodpur       |                                 349 |                41 |
| 4  | Rajasthan     | Nagaur       |                                 156 |                15 |
| 5  | Uttar pradesh | Lalitpur     |                                 313 |                 7 |
| 6  | Haryana       | Mahendragarh |                                 197 |                 0 |
|    | Total         |              |                                1566 |               105 |

Also,  an  occupational  health  and  safety  survey  of  silicosis affected  workers  under  Section  9A  of  the  Mines  Act,  1952  has  been undertaken  by  Directorate  General  of  Mines  Safety  wherein  7673  persons were medically examined, out of which 157 cases of silicosis were detected.

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