Lok Sabha Question No. 2615 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-04
Subject: Contract Workers
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Ratansinh Magansinh Rathod, Shrirang Appa Barne, Heena Vijaykumar Gavit, Vinayak Bhaurao Raut, Hemant Patil, A.K.P. Chinraj

## Government of India Ministry of Coal

Lok  Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2615 To be answered on 04.12.2019

## Contract Workers

## 2615.    SHRI RATANSINH MAGANSINH RATHOD :

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

DR. HEENA GAVIT:

SHRI VINAYAK RAUT:

SHRI HEMANT SRIRAM PATIL:

SHRI A.K.P. CHINRAJ:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state :

- (a)  whether the Coal India Limited and its subsidiary company employ contract workers and if so, the total number of workers engaged by the contractors in each of the ancillary coal mine of the Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries;
- (b)  whether any agreement is signed between the contractor and the management regarding the working condition and wages of such workers;
- (c) if so, the total remuneration fixed for payment to various categories of workers engaged by the contractors;
- (d) whether some contractors are not paying wages to the workers as per the agreement;
- (e) if so, the action taken against such contractors; and
- (f) the other steps taken by the Government for the welfare of contract workers ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a)  &  (b):   Coal  India  Limited  (CIL)  and  its  subsidiaries  do  not  employ  contract  workers directly. However, some of the works are outsourced and the agencies (contractors), to whom the works  are  outsourced,  employ/engage  their  workmen  for  the  said  work.  The  contracts  are awarded as per the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) containing all the statutory provisions of the applicable Acts. The contractors have to follow the statutory provisions as per the relevant Acts/ Rules as applicable mentioned in the contract agreement.  The number of workers engaged by such agencies/contractors in each subsidiary of CIL is given below:-

|   Sl. No. | Company                 | Number of contractual manpower (as on 01.11.2019)   |
|-----------|-------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Eastern Coalfields Ltd. | 9,516                                               |
|         2 | Bharat Coking Coal Ltd. | 4,685                                               |
|         3 | Central Coalfields Ltd. | 5,070                                               |

| 4      | Western Coalfields Ltd.                      | 7,348   |
|--------|----------------------------------------------|---------|
| 5      | South Eastern Coalfields Ltd.                | 13,198  |
| 6      | Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd.                     | 15,734  |
| 7      | Northern Coalfields Ltd.                     | 14,595  |
| 8      | Central Mine Planning &Design Institute Ltd. | 964     |
| 9      | North Eastern Coalfields                     | 696     |
| 10     | Coal India Ltd. (HQ)                         | 283     |
| Total: | Total:                                       | 72,089  |

- (c) : For mining activities, wages are paid to the contractors' workers as per the recommendations of High Powered Committee (HPC)/Joint Committee as notified in the Gazette Notifications  dated  07.12.2015  and  dated  25.05.2016  of  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment, which are higher than the minimum wages paid by the appropriate Government. The minimum rate of wages showing the basic rates and Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) payable w.e.f. 01.10.2019 is as under:-

| Category of employees              |   Basic Rate of (in Rs.) per day |   Wages VDA (in Rs.) per day w.e.f. 1.10.2019 Rate of wages VDA (in Rs.) per |   including day w.e.f. 01.10.2019 |
|------------------------------------|----------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| Unskilled                          |                              787 |                                                                           69 |                               856 |
| Semi-skilled/Unskilled Supervisory |                              817 |                                                                           71 |                               888 |
| Skilled                            |                              847 |                                                                           74 |                               921 |
| Highly Skilled                     |                              877 |                                                                           77 |                               954 |

For  non-mining  activities,  wages  are  paid  to  contractors'  workers  as  per  minimum  wages  as prescribed by appropriate Government from time to time.

- (d) to (f): The contractors have to pay wages as per agreement / applicable laws. Management of coal companies takes all possible steps as principal employer to ensure the payment of wages to the contractors' workers as per the agreement / applicable laws.

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