Lok Sabha Question No. 1352 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-01
Subject: Social Security Scheme for Plantation Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Dean Kuriakose

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1352 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.07.2019

SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEME FOR PLANTATION WORKERS

1352. ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE:

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

- (a)the  details  of  social  security  schemes  provided  for  plantation
- workers in the country; and
- (b)whether all the plantation workers are covered under the benefit of ESI coverage and if so, the details thereof and if not, whether the Government proposes to consider for the same?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): The Plantations Labour (PL) Act, 1951 regulates the conditions of work in  plantations  and  provide  for  the  welfare  of  plantation  labour. The Act requires the employers to provide the workers with housing, medical facilities, sickness and maternity benefits and other forms of social security measures.  There are provisions for educational facility for  the  worker's  children,  drinking  water,  conservancy,  canteens, crèches and recreational facilities for the benefit of the tea plantation workers and their families in  and  around  the  work places  in  the  tea estates.  The  PL  Act  is  implemented  through  the  concerned  State Governments for which separate Rules have been framed by them.

Contd..2/-

Apart  from  these  facilities,  the  Plantation  Commodity  Boards under  their  respective  schemes  during  Medium  Term  Framework period  are  extending  Labour  welfare  measures  to  the  plantation workers. The programme is aimed at providing financial assistance to the  children  of  workers  belonging  to  SC/ST  category  engaged  in plantation  estates  to  enable  them  to  continue  their  studies  after  X class. The  assistance  is given in the form of scholarships for meritorious students coming out of high school/ pre-degree and those pursuing graduation /post-graduation in any discipline.

Moreover, the workers of the tea industry are covered by various industrial and social security legislations like Employees' Compensation  Act,  1923,    Payment  of  Gratuity  Act,  1972,  Provident Funds  &  Miscellaneous  Provisions  Act,  1952,  (Assam  Tea  Plantation Provident  Fund,  Pension  Fund  and  Deposit  Link  Insurance  Fund Scheme  Act  1955  -  only  for  Assam),  Payment  of  Bonus  Act,  1965, Maternity  Benefit  Act,  1961,  Payment  of  Wages  Act,  1936,  Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, and Industrial Employment (Standing Order) Act, 1946.

Besides,  the  government  implements  through  the  Tea  Board various welfare activities for tea plantation workers and their dependants  in  tea  estates.  The  welfare  activities  undertaken  by  the Tea Board under the Human Resource Development (HRD) Scheme aim at improving the health and hygiene of workers, education of wards of workers and imparting training to improve skills for growers/workers.

(b): Plantation  workers  are  not  covered  under  ESI  Act.   At  present, there is no proposal for coverage of plantation workers under ESI Act. However,  a  Group  Personal  Accident  Insurance  Scheme  is  being implemented by the Tea Board for the benefit of the workers of small tea  growers.   Tea  workers  of  organized  sector  in  other  states  are covered under the Employees' Deposit-Link Insurance Scheme, 1976 of the Employees' Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.

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