Lok Sabha Question No. 486 (STARRED), answered on 2018-04-02
Subject: Welfare of Tobacco Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, NARANBHAI KACHHADIA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 486

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.04.2018

## WELFARE OF TOBACCO WORKERS

*486. KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH: SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

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

- (a)the  number  of  people  engaged  exclusively  in  farming,  retailing, manufacturing and distribution of tobacco/ tobacco products in the country, State/UT-wise;
- (b)whether  the  Government  has  taken  or  proposes  to  take  steps  to reduce production/consumption of tobacco/ tobacco products and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)whether the Government provides or proposes to provide alternative livelihood opportunities to the people who are completely dependent on tobacco/tobacco products;
- (d)if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e)whether the Government has not implemented any welfare scheme for tobacco workers who are engaged in unorganized sector, if so, the  details  thereof  and  the  corrective  measures  being  taken/ proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  486  FOR  02.04.2018  RAISED  BY  SHRI KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH & SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA REGARDING WELFARE OF TOBACCO WORKERS.

- (a): As  per  the  data  available  according  to  industry  estimates,  Indian tobacco industry  provides  livelihood  to  over  45.7  million  people  including farmers, farm labour, merchant traders, processors, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers across the supply chain.
- (b): The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has brought in a comprehensive  legislation,  namely  the  Cigarettes  and  Other  Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement  and  Regulation  of Trade  and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA 2003) to discourage  the  consumption  of  tobacco  products  in  order  to  protect  the masses from the health hazards attributable to tobacco use for reduction of Tobacco consumption. Also, Tobacco Board regulates the production and curing  of  Flue  Cured  Virginia  Tobacco  as  per  the  mandate  given  under Tobacco  Board  Act,  1975.    As  a  policy,  Tobacco  Board  is  not  granting registration to new growers and not issuing any licenses for construction of new barns creating additional curing infrastructure and not expanding FCV tobacco cultivation to new  areas and thereby restricting horizontal expansion of tobacco.
- (c) & (d): Tobacco  Board  in  collaboration with the  Central  Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI) is providing economically sustainable alternatives  to  tobacco  growing  farmers  who  will  be  impacted  by  the reducing demand for tobacco. Educational and awareness programmes on cultivation of alternate crops to FCV tobacco are also being conducted.  A booklet  on  crop  management  practices  of  different  alternative  crops  for dissemination  of  knowledge  on  alternative  crops  has  been  published. Awareness  programmes  are also being conducted on cultivation of alternative crops, while appealing to growers to divert at least 25-30% of their holdings for alternative crops.

In addition to this, the Ministry of Labour & Employment has initiated a Skill Development Programme for Beedi Workers and their dependants to shift them in alternative jobs.

- (e) & (f): This  Ministry  is  implementing  various  Welfare  Schemes  for beedi  workers  and  their  dependants  in  the  field  of  Health,  Housing  and Education. Details of the Schemes are at Annexure-A.

## Annexure in reply to part (e) & (f) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 486 for 02.04.2018

## 1. HEALTH SCHEMES:

Besides providing health care facilities to beedi  workers through 12 Hospitals and 286 Dispensaries located across the country, the following assistance is given to workers for treatment of  certain categories of diseases, as under :-

|   S.N o. | 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/- p.m 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.                                                                       |
|        5 | Minor surgery like Hernia, Appendectomy, Ulcer Gynecological diseases and Prostrate diseases. | Reimbursement of expenditure up to Rs. 30,000/- to workers and their dependents.                                                                                                          |

## 2. HOUSING SCHEME:

Revised Integrated Housing Scheme (RIHS), 2016 for beedi workers is being implemented in the country through Welfare Commissioners of the Labour Welfare Organisation under this Ministry. The housing subsidy of Rs. 1,50,000/-  is disbursed in three installments in the ratio of 25:60:15.

3. FINANCIAL  ASSISTANCE  FOR  EDUCATION  OF  THE  WARDS  OF  BEEDI WORKERS

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

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