Lok Sabha Question No. 1522 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-05
Subject: Expansion of Labour Welfare Schemes
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: RAVINDRA KUSHAWAHA

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

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1522 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.03.2018

## EXPANSION OF LABOUR WELFARE SCHEMES

†1522. SHRI RAVINDER KUSHAWAHA:

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

- (a)whether  the  Government  is  contemplating  expansion  of  welfare
- schemes for the labourers and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)whether  the  Government  proposes  to  regularise  the  services  of
- temporary/casual labourers and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)whether rules regarding working hours of such labourers have also
- been framed;
- (d)if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)the  details  with  regard  to  the  implementation  and  monitoring mechanism set up for such schemes?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e): The Ministry of Labour & Employment, through its Labour Welfare Organizations across the country, implements welfare schemes relating to housing, education and health for beedi workers, mica  mine  workers,  limestone  &  dolomite  mine  workers,  iron  ore manganese,  chrome  ore  mine  workers  and  cine  workers.  These schemes  were  earlier  administered  through  5  Welfare  Cess  and Welfare  Funds  under  various  Cess  Acts  of  Parliament.  Now,  these cesses have been abolished/subsumed in  GST  and the welfare schemes have been retained with funding from the Consolidated Fund of India. Salient features of these welfare schemes are as follows:

- (i) Revised Integrated Housing Scheme-2016: Subsidy of Rs.1,50,000 for construction of a pucca house is provided to the workers in three installments in the ratio of 25:60:15.

(ii) Education Scheme: Financial Assistance varying from Rs.250 to Rs.15,000 per year is provided to the wards of the workers studying in classes I to XII for pursuing non-professional and professional degree/graduate/post graduate courses.

(iii) Health Scheme:  Health  care facilities are provided to the workers and their dependents through 12 hospitals and 286 dispensaries  under  Labour  Welfare  Organizations  (LWO)  across  the country.  In  addition,  reimbursement  of  expenditure  for  specialized treatment taken in Government recognized hospitals, is also provided. These schemes are implemented and monitored by Offices of Welfare Commissioners in 17 LWO regions.

In addition to the above welfare schemes, the Central Government has converged the social security scheme 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 depending upon their eligibility.  These  converged  schemes  give  coverage of  Rs.2  lakhs  on death at premium of Rs.330/- per annum and coverage of Rs.2 lakhs on accidental  death  at  premium  of  Rs.12  per  annum,  besides  disability benefits as per the scheme. The annual premium is shared on 50:50 basis  by  the  Central  Government  and  the  State  Governments.  These schemes are implemented and monitored by Life Insurance Corporation of India and the concerned State Governments.

The working conditions of temporary/ casual workers/daily wagers depend upon the labour laws applicable on the establishment they are engaged.  There  is  no  proposal  to  regularise  the  services  of  these workers.

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