Lok Sabha Question No. 3113 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-06
Subject: Minimum Wages for Beedi Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, CHANDRAKANT RAGHUNATH PATIL, PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE, DHARMENDRA YADAV, Shrirang Appa Barne, KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3113 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2018

## MINIMUM WAGES FOR BEEDI WORKERS

## 3113. SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT:

SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

SHRI C.R. PATIL:

DR. PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE:

SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

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

- (a)whether the beedi workers are being covered under minimum wages Act and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  minimum  wage  in  different
- States being provided to the beedi workers;
- (b)whether  the  Government  proposes  to  increase  their  minimum  wages keeping in mind the effects of price increase and GST applied to the raw materials, if so, the details thereof;
- (c)whether  the  Government  has  received  any  representation  for  raising minimum wages to beedi workers by any beedi worker association and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)whether any policy or framework is being developed by the Government to address the gap in the minimum wages for beedi workers and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)the  measures taken/being taken by the Government to guarantee/ensure minimum wages, proper healthcare and benefits of various social security schemes to the beedi workers especially the female beedi workers who constitute a major chunk of the beedi workers in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): Under  the  Minimum  wages  Act  1948,  both  State  and  Central Government are the Appropriate Governments  to  fix,  review,  revise  and

implement  the  minimum  wages  under  their  respective  jurisdiction.  The minimum  wages  fixed  for  central  sphere  are  applicable  to  the  scheduled employments in the establishments under the authority of Central Government,  railway  administrations,  mines,  oil-fields,  major  port  or  any corporation  established  by  a  Central  Act.  Employments  other  than  the scheduled  employment  for  central  sphere  including  'Beedi  Workers'  come under  the  purview  of  the  State  Governments  and  accordingly  the  State Government wages are applicable in such employments.

(e): This Ministry of Labour & Employment is implementing various welfare schemes viz. Health, Housing and Education for beedi workers and their families. Details of the Schemes are at Annexure.

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## SCHEMES BEING IMPLMENTED AT PRESENT FOR BEEDI WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES

## 1. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR EDUCATION:

| SCHEME                                                                                               | Nature of assistance                                                                             | Nature of assistance                                                                                                            | Nature of assistance                                                                             | Nature of assistance                                                                             |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Scheme for for providing financial assistance to the wards of the beedi workers for their education. | Scholarship is awarded to the wards of the workers at the following rates per student per year:- | Scholarship is awarded to the wards of the workers at the following rates per student per year:-                                | Scholarship is awarded to the wards of the workers at the following rates per student per year:- | Scholarship is awarded to the wards of the workers at the following rates per student per year:- |
|                                                                                                      | Group                                                                                            | Class                                                                                                                           | Rates                                                                                            | Rates                                                                                            |
|                                                                                                      | Group                                                                                            | Class                                                                                                                           | Girls                                                                                            | Boys                                                                                             |
|                                                                                                      | Group I                                                                                          | Class I to IV                                                                                                                   | 250                                                                                              | 250                                                                                              |
|                                                                                                      | Group II                                                                                         | Class V to VIII                                                                                                                 | 940                                                                                              | 500                                                                                              |
|                                                                                                      | Group III                                                                                        | Class IX                                                                                                                        | 1140                                                                                             | 700                                                                                              |
|                                                                                                      | Group IV                                                                                         | Class X                                                                                                                         | 1840                                                                                             | 1400                                                                                             |
|                                                                                                      | Group V                                                                                          | Class XI to XII                                                                                                                 | 2440                                                                                             | 2000                                                                                             |
|                                                                                                      |                                                                                                  | ITI                                                                                                                             | 10000                                                                                            | 10000                                                                                            |
|                                                                                                      | Group VI                                                                                         | Non-Professional Degree Courses; Non-Professional Post Graduate Courses; Two-Three Year Diploma Courses and BCA, BBA and PGDCA. | 3000                                                                                             | 3000                                                                                             |
|                                                                                                      | GROUP VII                                                                                        | Professional Degree Courses i.e.B.E./B.Tech/ MBBS/ BAMS/BUMS/ B.Sc (Agriculture) and MCA/ MBA.                                  | 15000                                                                                            | 15000                                                                                            |

## 2. REVISED INTEGRATED HOUSING SCHEME (RIHS), 2016 :

Under  Revised  Integrated  Housing  Scheme  (RIHS),  2016:    Beedi workers  are  provided    housing  subsidy  of  Rs.  1,50,000/-    per  tenement  for construction of own pucca house.

3. HEALTH SCHEME:

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

|   Sl. 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/- per month 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 and Prostrate diseases. | Reimbursement of expenditure up to Rs. 30,000/- to workers and their dependents.                                                                                                                |

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