Lok Sabha Question No. 3187 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-31
Subject: Steps to Improve Working Conditions of Beedi Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Tejpratap Singh,Yadav, L.R. Shivaramegowda, ANJU BALA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3187 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.12.2018

## STEPS TO IMPROVE WORKING CONDITIONS OF BEEDI WORKERS

3187. SHRI TEJ PRATAP SINGH YADAV:

SHRI L.R. SHIVARAME GOWDA: SHRIMATI ANJU BALA:

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

- (a)whether the Government is aware that majority of the beedi workers are suffering from multiple illness due to continuous exposure to tobacco and other hazardous substances and if so, the details thereof; (b)the estimated number of employees associated with beedi industries during the last three years, State-wise and the names of countries to which beedi is being exported, quantity, value and countrywise; (c)whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps/concrete  measures  to improve the working conditions, health and other benefits of the employees particularly women associated with the beedi industries, if so, the details thereof; and (d)the  details  of  funds  allocated  to  different  States  for  providing  alternate
- livelihood for beedi workers during the last three years, State/UT-wise?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): No Specific cases of multiple illness of the  beedi workers have been reported to this Ministry so far.
- (b): Details are at Annexure-A.
- (c): Various benefits are being provided to Beedi  workers  and  their dependents under the Labour Welfare Scheme in the field of  Health, Housing and Education. Details of such Schemes are at Annexure-B.

(d): Details are at Annexure-C.

***                                          *******

Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  of  part  (b)  of  the  Lok  Sabha  USQ  No.  3187  for  answer  on 31.12.2018 raised by Shri Tej Pratap Singh Yadav, Shri L.R. Shivarame Gowda and Smt. Anju Bala regarding Steps to Improve Working Conditions of Beedi Workers.

## State/UT wise details of  Beedi Workers

| Sl.No.   | Name of the Region   | Name of State/UT          | Total   |
|----------|----------------------|---------------------------|---------|
| 1.       | Ahmedabad            | Gujarat                   | 42008   |
| 2.       | Ajmer                | Rajasthan                 | 42813   |
| 3.       | Allahabad            | Uttar Pradesh             | 450228  |
| 4.       | Bangalore            | Karnataka                 | 244412  |
| 5.       | Bhubaneswar          | Odisha                    | 157753  |
| 6.       | Hyderabad            | Andhra Pradesh/ Telangana | 412984  |
| 7.       | Jabalpur             | Madhya Pradesh            | 1054652 |
| 8.       | Kolkata              | West Bengal               | 1658401 |
|          |                      | Tripura                   | 13385   |
| 9.       | Guwahati             |                           | 9154    |
| 10.      | Kannur               | Kerala                    | 32032   |
| 11.      | Nagpur               | Maharashtra               | 188550  |
|          |                      | Goa                       | -       |
|          |                      | Daman (UT)                | -       |
|          |                      | Dadra & Nagar Haveli (UT) | -       |
| 12.      | Patna                | Bihar                     | 293916  |
| 13.      | Raipur               | Chhattisgarh              | 18757   |
| 14.      | Tirunelveli          | Tamil Nadu                | 79905   |
| 15.      | Ranchi               | Jharkhand                 | 113408  |
|          | Total                |                           | 4812358 |

79905

## NAMES OF COUNTRIES TO WHICH BEEDI IS BEING EXPORTED, QUANTITY, VALUE AND COUNTRY WISE;

(QTY in Ton and Values IN USD)

|                  | 2015-16   | 2015-16   | 2016-17   | 2016-17   | 2017-18   | 2017-18   | 2018-19(UPTO MAY'18)   | 2018-19(UPTO MAY'18)   |
|------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|------------------------|------------------------|
| COUNTRY          | QTY       | VALUE     | QTY       | VALUE     | QTY       | VALUE     | QTY                    | VALUE                  |
| U ARAB EMTS      | 146.61    | 2274787   | 288.97    | 4195132   | 188.57    | 3144984   |                        |                        |
| NETHERLAND ANTIL | 26.29     | 137478    | 35.03     | 463286    | 34.00     | 763616    |                        |                        |
| AFGHANISTAN      | 12.20     | 114924    | 47.50     | 423102    | 48.39     | 518698    |                        |                        |
| ZAMBIA           | 21.80     | 282249    | 23.20     | 311329    | 66.08     | 451511    | 28.25                  | 317942                 |
| SINGAPORE        | 50.16     | 255181    | 9.98      | 199338    | 12.51     | 276088    |                        |                        |
| NEPAL            | 16.95     | 31168     | 5.10      | 21528     | 17.54     | 133325    | 1.02                   | 1890                   |
| SOUTH AFRICA     | 3.16      | 37064     | 2.34      | 25496     | 6.14      | 83919     | 5.00                   | 23394                  |
| IRELAND          | 4.25      | 26020     | 16.00     | 93038     | 9.94      | 67314     |                        |                        |
| U S A            | 38.54     | 929352    | 12.95     | 306739    | 3.30      | 55385     | 0.57                   | 4819                   |
| AUSTRALIA        | 5.19      | 35875     | 18.00     | 110971    | 18.37     | 52813     | 1.56                   | 14175                  |
| SWITZERLAND      | 0.75      | 27107     | 3.81      | 135332    | 1.23      | 48749     |                        |                        |
| TRINIDAD         | 0.27      | 7511      | 1.04      | 27235     | 1.74      | 41892     |                        |                        |
| SRI LANKA DSR    | 1.75      | 16139     | 10.00     | 2641      | 14.65     | 37649     | 0.19                   | 10356                  |
| SENEGAL          |           |           |           |           | 1.30      | 30482     |                        |                        |
| MALDIVES         |           |           |           |           | 1.52      | 21539     |                        |                        |
| SERBIA           |           |           |           |           | 1.60      | 9751      |                        |                        |
| RUSSIA           | 1.00      | 3657      | 6.30      | 58837     | 1.20      | 9698      |                        |                        |
| PERU             |           |           |           |           | 1.00      | 6453      |                        |                        |
| KOREA RP         | 0.82      | 5926      |           |           | 0.83      | 5967      |                        |                        |
| SAUDI ARAB       |           |           | 0.08      | 1270      | 0.40      | 3105      |                        |                        |
| URUGUAY          |           |           |           |           | 0.40      | 2276      |                        |                        |
| BANGLADESH PR    |           |           | 1.05      | 3098      | 0.71      | 2078      |                        |                        |
| CANADA           | 1.00      | 6785      | 2.30      | 13863     | 0.35      | 1215      |                        |                        |
| MAURITIUS        | 0.04      | 659       | 0.74      | 2332      | 0.14      | 1020      |                        |                        |
| COLOMBIA         | 0.30      | 2255      |           |           | 0.10      | 344       |                        |                        |
| UZBEKISTAN       |           |           |           |           | 0.06      | 144       |                        |                        |
| VIETNAM SOC REP  |           |           |           |           | 0.08      | 139       |                        |                        |
| MOZAMBIQUE       |           |           |           |           | 0.00      | 2         |                        |                        |
| ECUADOR          |           |           |           |           |           |           | 2.50                   | 16075                  |
| ST LUCIA         |           |           | 0.21      | 4454      |           |           | 0.06                   | 3031                   |
| ARGENTINA        | 1.00      | 25087     | 1.61      | 19425     |           |           |                        |                        |
| BAHAMAS          | 1.46      | 10997     | 3.20      | 8555      |           |           |                        |                        |
| BELGIUM          |           |           | 0.04      | 152       |           |           |                        |                        |
| CHILE            | 1.11      | 8326      |           |           |           |           |                        |                        |

| ESTONIA     | 2.40   | 8902    |        |         |        |         |       |        |
|-------------|--------|---------|--------|---------|--------|---------|-------|--------|
| GERMANY     | 1.48   | 11416   |        |         |        |         |       |        |
| GRENADA     | 0.02   | 756     |        |         |        |         |       |        |
| HONG KONG   | 4.73   | 24110   | 1.98   | 12537   |        |         |       |        |
| IRAN        | 21.50  | 214299  | 15.52  | 111813  |        |         |       |        |
| ISRAEL      | 2.00   | 9637    | 5.80   | 38792   |        |         |       |        |
| KAZAKHSTAN  |        |         | 0.13   | 209     |        |         |       |        |
| LESOTHO     | 0.09   | 1678    |        |         |        |         |       |        |
| LITHUANIA   |        |         | 8.00   | 22752   |        |         |       |        |
| MALAYSIA    | 1.95   | 9299    | 9.94   | 56635   |        |         |       |        |
| MONGOLIA    | 0.05   | 707     |        |         |        |         |       |        |
| NEW ZEALAND | 6.02   | 12253   | 0.29   | 3576    |        |         |       |        |
| NIGERIA     |        |         | 0.13   | 740     |        |         |       |        |
| PHILIPPINES |        |         | 0.03   | 66      |        |         |       |        |
| SPAIN       | 3.10   | 19076   | 9.38   | 76678   |        |         |       |        |
| U K         | 1.50   | 17620   | 0.00   | 1       |        |         |       |        |
| Grand Total | 379.46 | 4568300 | 540.63 | 6750952 | 432.13 | 5770156 | 39.15 | 391682 |

## NOTE: 2017-18 & 2018-19 FIGURES ARE PROVISIONAL.

Sources: Information as received from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Annexure referred to in reply of  part (c) of the  Lok Sabha USQ  No. 3187 for answer on 31.12.2018 raised  by  Shri  Tej  Pratap  Singh  Yadav,  Shri  L.R.  Shivarame  Gowda  and  Smt. Anju Bala regarding Steps to Improve Working Conditions of Beedi Workers.

- i. HEALTH SCHEMES: Besides  providing health  care  facilities  to  beedi  workers  and their  families  through 10 Hospitals and 286 Dispensaries, following assistance is being provided in case of certain critical diseases.
- ii. HOUSING  SCHEME: Under  the  revised  Housing  Subsidy  scheme  RIHS  -2016  an amount of Rs. 1.5 lakh is being provided to Beedi workers as subsidy for helping them to build their own pucca houses.

|   S.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/- p.m is granted as per the advice of the treating physician. |
|       2 | Heart Diseases                                                                                | Reimbursement of expenditure up to Rs. 1,30,000/- .                                                                                                                                       |
|       3 | Kidney Transplantation                                                                        | Reimbursement of expenditure up to Rs. 2,00,000/- .                                                                                                                                       |
|       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 diseases and Prostrate diseases. | Reimbursement of expenditure up to Rs. 30,000/- .                                                                                                                                         |

## iii. EDUCATIONAL SCHEME:

| SCHEME                                                              | NATURE OF ASSISTANCE                                                                                      | NATURE OF ASSISTANCE                                                                                                             | NATURE OF ASSISTANCE                                                                                      | NATURE OF ASSISTANCE                                                                                      |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Scheme for award of scholarships to the wards of the Beedi Workers. | Scholarship shall be awarded to the children of the workers at the following rates per student per year:- | Scholarship shall be awarded to the children of the workers at the following rates per student per year:-                        | Scholarship shall be awarded to the children of the workers at the following rates per student per year:- | Scholarship shall be awarded to the children of the workers at the following rates per student per year:- |
| Scheme for award of scholarships to the wards of the Beedi Workers. | Group                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                  | Rates ( in Rs.)                                                                                           | Rates ( in Rs.)                                                                                           |
| Scheme for award of scholarships to the wards of the Beedi Workers. | Group                                                                                                     | Class                                                                                                                            | Girls                                                                                                     | Boys                                                                                                      |
| Scheme for award of scholarships to the wards of the Beedi Workers. | Group I                                                                                                   | Class I to IV                                                                                                                    | 250                                                                                                       | 250                                                                                                       |
| Scheme for award of scholarships to the wards of the Beedi Workers. | Group II                                                                                                  | Class V to VIII                                                                                                                  | 940                                                                                                       | 500                                                                                                       |
| Scheme for award of scholarships to the wards of the Beedi Workers. | Group III                                                                                                 | Class IX                                                                                                                         | 1140                                                                                                      | 700                                                                                                       |
| Scheme for award of scholarships to the wards of the Beedi Workers. | Group IV                                                                                                  | Class X                                                                                                                          | 1840                                                                                                      | 1400                                                                                                      |
| Scheme for award of scholarships to the wards of the Beedi Workers. | Group V                                                                                                   | Class XI to XII                                                                                                                  | 2440                                                                                                      | 2000                                                                                                      |
| Scheme for award of scholarships to the wards of the 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 the Beedi Workers. | Group VII                                                                                                 | Professional Degree Courses i.e.B.E./B.Tech/MBBS/BAMS/BUMS/ B.Sc(Agriculture) and MCA/MBA.                                       | 15000                                                                                                     | 15000                                                                                                     |

Annexure referred  to  in  reply  of  part  (d)  of  the  Lok  Sabha  USQ  No.  3187  for  answer  on 31.12.2018 raised  by  Shri  Tej  Pratap  Singh  Yadav,  Shri  L.R.  Shivarame  Gowda  and  Smt. Anju Bala regarding Steps to Improve Working Conditions of Beedi Workers.

Details of Budget Allocated under Skill Development Programme in FY 2017-18 and 2018-19

|   Sl.No. | Name of the LWORegion   | Name of State/UT Covered   | Budget Allocated in 2017-18 (Rs. in Lakh)   | Budget Allocated in 2018-19 (Rs. in Lakh)   |
|----------|-------------------------|----------------------------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Ahmedabad               | Gujarat                    | -                                           | 0.50                                        |
|        2 | Ajmer                   | Rajasthan                  | 12.08                                       | --                                          |
|        3 | Allahabad               | Uttar Pradesh              | 9.81                                        | --                                          |
|        4 | Bangalore               | Karnataka                  | 50                                          | 5                                           |
|        5 | Bhubaneswar             | Odisha                     | 19.97                                       | 10.75                                       |
|        6 | Hyderabad               | Andhra Pradesh/ Telangana  | 7                                           | 1.50                                        |
|        7 | Jabalpur                | Madhya Pradesh             | 8                                           | 21.50                                       |
|        8 | Kolkata                 | West Bengal                | 37.66                                       | 0.10                                        |
|        8 | Kolkata                 | Tripura                    | --                                          | --                                          |
|        9 | Guwahati                | Assam                      | 10                                          | --                                          |
|       10 | Kannur                  | Kerala                     | 26.75                                       | --                                          |
|       11 | Nagpur                  | Maharashtra                | 12.08                                       | 15.90                                       |
|       11 | Nagpur                  | Goa                        |                                             |                                             |
|       11 | Nagpur                  | Daman (UT)                 |                                             |                                             |
|       11 | Nagpur                  | Dadra & Nagar Haveli (UT)  |                                             |                                             |
|       12 | Patna                   | Bihar                      | 4.92                                        | --                                          |
|       13 | Raipur                  | Chhattisgarh               | 12.03                                       | 11.75                                       |
|       14 | Tirunelveli             | Tamil Nadu                 | 5.10                                        | --                                          |
|       15 | Ranchi                  | Jharkhand                  | 5                                           | --                                          |
|       15 | Total                   |                            | 220.4                                       | 67                                          |

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