Lok Sabha Question No. 4908 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-26
Subject: Welfare Schemes for Workers of Autonomous and Organised Sector
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: KULAMANI SAMAL

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4908 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.03.2018

WELFARE SCHEMES FOR WORKERS OF AUTONOMOUS AND ORGANISED SECTOR

4908. DR. KULAMANI SAMAL:

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

- (a)the details of the welfare schemes being implemented by the Government for the employees of autonomous and organized sectors in the country;
- (b)the  percentage of  employees of total workforce engaged in autonomous and organised sector in the country;
- (c)whether any policies, acts or programmes of the Government have been changed  or  amended  in  order  to  ensure  welfare  of  employees  in  these
- sectors during the last five years; and
- (d)if so, the details thereof including the expenditure incurred in this regard during the said period?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): The  following  Acts  and  Schemes  framed  thereunder,  have  been enacted by Ministry of Labour and Employment for the welfare of organized private sector workers:-
- i. The Employees' Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 and following Schemes framed thereunder.
- (a) The Employees' Provident Funds (EPF) Scheme, 1952;
- (b) The Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS), 1995; and
- (c) The Employees' Deposit-Linked Insurance (EDLI) Scheme, 1976.
- ii. The Employees' State Insurance (ESI) Act, 1948.
- iii. The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972.
- iv. The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.
- v. The Employees' Compensation Act, 1923.

(b): The  statistics  regarding  percentage  of  employees  of  total  workforce engaged in autonomous  and  organised sector in the country is not maintained Centrally.

However, the total number  of members  accounts  in  Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) as on 31.03.2017 is 19.34 crore. Out of these,  at  present  the  total  number  of  average  contributing  subscribers  is 4.49 crore.

Further,  the  number  of  employees  covered  under  the  ESI  Act,  1948 engaged in organised sector as on 31.03.2017 is 2,93,21,060.

(c) & (d): Review  and  amendment  of  the  above-mentioned  Acts  and Schemes  is  an  ongoing  process  based  on  the  changing  socio-economic scenario and measures are regularly taken by the Government for effectively achieving the vision/goal of these schemes. One such measure taken by the Government is that minimum pension of Rs. 1000/- per month has been fixed with  effect  from  01.09.2014  to  the  pensioners  under  EPS,  1995,  for  which Government is providing the required budgetary support. Year-wise details of budgetary support provided by the Government is as follows:

| Year    |   Amount (Rs. in crores) |
|---------|--------------------------|
| 2014-15 |                   439.46 |
| 2015-16 |                   821.7  |
| 2016-17 |                   813.06 |

Further,  the  details  of  expenditure  incurred  for  ESI  Scheme  for  the beneficiaries of Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) for the last 5 years is as under :-

| Rs. in Crore   | Rs. in Crore    | Rs. in Crore   | Rs. in Crore   |
|----------------|-----------------|----------------|----------------|
| Year           | Medical Benefit | Cash Benefit   | Other Benefit  |
| 2012-13        | 4058.13         | 761.17         | 2.62           |
| 2013-14        | 4781.57         | 598.69         | 2.66           |
| 2014-15        | 5615.8          | 681.96         | 2.57           |
| 2015-16        | 5995.68         | 703.98         | 2.52           |
| 2016-17        | 6124.2          | 1517.93        | 2.45           |

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