Lok Sabha Question No. 3308 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-09
Subject: Programmes to Empower Labourers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Rahul Kaswan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3308 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.12.2019

## PROGRAMMES TO EMPOWER LABOURERS

†3308. SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

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

- (a)whether  any  study  has  been  conducted  by  the  experts  to  identify
- the demands of the labourers in this sector;
- (b)if so, the State-wise details thereof including Rajasthan;
- (c)the details of the special programmes launched by the Government
- to empower the labourers and improve their earnings;
- (d)whether there is any step proposed to be taken by the Government for  welfare  of  the  labourers  of  the  rural  areas  and  making  their
- conditions better in the country; and
- (e)if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b): As per available data, no such study has been conducted.
- (c) to (e):   As  per  the  Wage  Rate  data  maintained  by  Labour  Bureau, there  has  generally  been  a    continuous  positive  monthly  growth  in nominal average wage rate in Rural India at All India level. Under the provisions  of  the  Minimum  Wages  Act,  1948,  both  Central  and  State Governments  are  appropriate  Governments  to  fix,  review  and  revise the minimum wages of the workers employed in scheduled employment under the respective jurisdictions.

In  addition,  Government  has  taken  a  number  of  steps towards welfare of the labourers as a whole throughout India, which are as under:

In order to provide social security benefits to the workers in the  unorganized  sector  including  workers  in  agriculture  sector,  the Government  has  enacted  the  Unorganized  Workers'  Social  Security Act, 2008. This Act stipulates formulation of suitable welfare schemes for  unorganized  workers  on  matters  relating  to:  (i)  life  and  disability cover, (ii) health and maternity benefits, (iii) old age protection and (iv) any other benefit  as  may  be  determined  by  the  Central  Government. Life  and  disability  cover  is  provided  through  Pradhan  Mantri  Jeevan Jyoti BimaYojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha BimaYojana (PMSBY) to the unorganized workers depending upon their eligibility. In June, 2017 Government has converged Aam Admi Bima Yojana with Mantri are

Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Pradhan Suraksha Bima Yojana. The health and maternity benefits addressed through Ayushman Bharat scheme.

For  old  age  protection  in  the  form  of  minimum  assured monthly  pension,  Ministry  of  Labour  &  Employment  has  launched Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) Yojana in February, 2019  for  workers  of  unorganised  sector,  which  provides  monthly minimum  assured  pension  of  Rs.3,000/-  on  attaining  the  age  of  60 years. The Government has also launched National Pension Scheme on 12.09.2019 for Traders, Shopkeepers and Self-Employed Persons. Both these schemes are voluntary and on contributory basis.

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