Lok Sabha Question No. 4142 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Covid-19 Relief for Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: A. Ganeshamurthi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4142 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2021

COVID-19 RELIEF FOR WORKERS

4142. SHRI A. GANESHAMURTHI:

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

- (a)whether the Union Government has sanctioned/ released Covid-19 relief grant  to  any  States  in  the  country  to  disburse  it  to  migrated  workers, construction workers and other daily wage workers to compensate them due to lockdown of various companies/industries etc.;
- (b)if so, the details thereof; and
- (c)the total amount sanctioned/released to each State particularly to Tamil
- Nadu as on date?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (c): In order to mitigate the financial crisis of the   workers, including construction workers, migrant workers and  other daily wage workers including the workers of Tamil Nadu, Government has taken various  measures  to protect them against the economic disruptions due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic and Country-wide lockdown. The details of the measures are at the Annexure.

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## Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part    (a)  to  (c)    of  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.  4142    for 22.03.2021 regarding  Relief for workers.

1. In  order  to  resolve  the  grievances  of  migrant  workers  during  lockdown,  Ministry  of  Labour  and Employment set up 20 Control Rooms all over the country. During lockdown, more than 15000 complaints of the workers were resolved through these Control Rooms and due to the intervention of Ministry more than two lakh workers were paid their due wages amounting to about Rs. 295 crores.

2. Various initiatives have been taken by the Ministry of Labour and Employment as part of Pradhan Mantri Garib  Kalyan  Yojana(PMGKY)  and  Atmanirbhar  Bharat  which,  interalia,  include  (i)  payment  of  12% employers' share and 12% employees' share under Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), totalling 24% by the Government of India for six wage months from March to August, 2020 for all the establishments having up to 100 employees with 90% of such employees earning less than Rs.15,000 monthly wage; (ii) reduction in PF contribution  from  12%  to  10%  of  wages  for  the  wage  months  of  May,  June  and  July,  2020;  (iii)  nonrefundable Covid advance from the PF by amending the EPF Scheme, 1952; (iv) extension in the date of filing of returns; (v) issuing advisory to promptly attend to distress calls of workers/employees and also guide them in temporary shelters; and (vi) for taking preventive measures to contain the spread of Covid - 19.

3. Approximately  80  crore  beneficiaries  have  been  provided  additional  5  kg  wheat  or  rice  and  1  kg  of preferred pulses, free of cost every month till November, 2020 under provisions of National Food Security Act.

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4. In  response  to  the  Government  of  India's  directions,  the  State  Welfare  Boards  have  cumulatively disbursed  around  Rs.5618  crore,  to  approx.  1.83  crore  Building  and  Other  Construction  (BOC)  Workers during lockdown and thereafter. In addition to this, around 30 lakh BOC workers were also provided food relief packages.

5 .  Further,  in  order  to  boost  employment  and  livelihood  opportunities  for  migrant  workers,  returning  to villages, in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India launched Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan on 20th June 2020. The Abhiyaan focussed on durable rural infrastructure and providing modern facilities like internet in the villages. Skill Mapping of the rural migrant labour was also done to enhance their employability on the basis of the skills, they possess, to enable them work closer to their  homes.  The  Abhiyaan  involves  intensified  and  focused  implementation  of  25  target  driven  works  to provide employment and create infrastructure in the rural areas of 116 districts of 6 States with a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crore. The Abhiyaan has already generated 50,78,68,671 man-days.

6. For the benefit of 50 lakh street vendors, Government of India has also launched SVANidhi Scheme to provide them collateral free working capital loan upto Rs.10,000/- to resume their lost livelihood due to Covid and lock-down.

7. To  provide  employment  to  the  migrant  workers  Ministry  of  Transport  and  Highways  has  identified  the ongoing works/new works for the road construction.

8. In  rural  areas,  wages  under  MGNREGA  have  been  enhanced  from  Rs.182  to  Rs.202  per  day  for  the benefit of rural workers including returning migrant workers.

9 . Ministry of Food  Processing Industries have sanctioned 700 food processing/preservation and infrastructure projects in which migrant labourers can be  employed.

10 .Financial package of Rupees Twenty Seven lakh crore (aprox) under 'Aatm Nirbhar Bharat' has been launched  specifically  to  inter-alia  create  employment  opportunities,  for  migrant  workers,  workers  of unorganized  sector,  strengthening  of  MSME  Sector  and  promoting  rural  economy.  It  includes  several initiatives for all these sectors.

11 .  Ministry of Labour & Employment  has taken the decision to extend the scheme of Atal Beemit Kalyan Yojna for another one year i.e. from 1st July, 2020 to 30 th June, 2021. It has also been decided to enhance the  rate  of  unemployment  relief  under  the  scheme  to  50%  of  wages  from  earlier  rate  of  25%  along  with relaxation  of  eligibility  conditions  for  insured  workers  who  have  lost  their  employment  due  to  COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown.

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