Lok Sabha Question No. 4223 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-27
Subject: Welfare and Upliftment of Skilled and Unskilled Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Sandhya Ray

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4223 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.03.2023

## WELFARE AND UPLIFTMENT OF SKILLED AND UNSKILLED WORKERS

†4223. SHRIMATI SANDHYA RAY:

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

- (a)the  details  of  the  schemes/programmes  being  implemented  for welfare and upliftment of the skilled and unskilled workers/labourers particularly in Bhind and Datiya district of Madhya Pradesh;
- (b)the  details  of  the  sanctioned/released  and  utilized  funds  in  this regard  during  the  last  three  years  and  the  current  year,  State/UTwise;
- (c)whether the Government has conducted or propose to conduct any study/survey with regard to the working conditions of the workers;
- (d)if so, the outcome thereof; and
- (e)whether the Government has taken/being taken any steps to bring about  a  holestic  change  in  the  lives  of  workers  including  their safety, health and working conditions?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

- (a) & (b): The Government is implementing number of welfare schemes for workers including farm labourers on matters relating to: (i)  life  and  disability  cover,  (ii)  health  and  maternity  benefits,  (iii)  old age protection etc.

The  Life  and  Disability  cover  is  provided  through  Pradhan Mantri  Jeevan  Jyoti  Bima  Yojana  (PMJJBY)  and  Pradhan  Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY). PMJJBY is available to the people in the  age  group  of  18  to  50  years  having  a  bank/post  office  account. Risk coverage under this scheme is for Rs. 2.00 lakh in case of death of insured, due to any reason, at an annual premium of Rs. 436/-.

The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) is also available  to  the  people  in  the  age  group  of  18  to  70  years  with  a bank/post office account. The risk coverage under the scheme is for Rs 2.00 lakh in case of accidental death or total permanent disability and Rs. 1.00 lakh for partial permanent disability; due to accident at a premium of Rs. 20 per annum.

The  Ayushman  Bharat-Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Arogya  Yojana (ABPMJAY) provides an annual health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per eligible family for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization corresponding to

1949 treatment procedures across 27 specialties.

In  order  to  provide  old  age  protection,  the  Government  of India  launched  Pradhan  Mantri  Shram  Yogi  Maan-Dhan  (PM-SYM) pension scheme in 2019. It provides monthly pension of Rs.3000/- after attaining the age of 60 years. The workers in the age group of 18-40 years whose monthly income is Rs. 15000/- or less and not a member of EPFO/ESIC/NPS (Govt. funded) can join the PM-SYM Scheme. Under this  scheme  50%  monthly  contribution  is  payable  by  the  beneficiary and equal matching contribution is paid by the Central Government. All these schemes include workers/labourers of Bhind and Datiya District of Madhya Pradesh also subject to eligibility.

These  schemes  are  demand  driven  and  accordingly  the budget is allocated.

Apart from above, other schemes such as Public Distribution  System  through  One  Nation  One  Ration  Card  scheme under  National  Food  Security  Act,  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural Employment  Guarantee  Act,  Deen  Dayal  Upadhyay  Gramin  Kaushal Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Gareeb Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan, Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana, Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana, PMSVANidhi,  Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Vikas  Yojana  etc.  are  also available  for  the  unorganised  workers  including  labourers  depending upon their eligibility criteria.

eShram  portal  was  launched  in  August,  2021  with  an objective to create National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW) of the age group of 16-59 years to facilitate delivery of Social Security Schemes/Welfare  Schemes  of  the  Central  and  State  Governments  to the unorganized workers.

Further,  to  provide  skilled  training  to  the  unskilled  semiskilled and unemployed youth, workforce, Government of India launched  National  Skill  Development  Mission.  It  intends  to  create convergence  across  sectors  and  States  in  terms  of  skill  training activities. Under the Mission, there are about 20 Central Ministries/Departments  including  Ministry  of  Skill  Development  and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) involved in the implementation of more than 40  schemes  for  various  skill  development  programmes  to  develop skilled manpower to meet the requirements of different sectors. Major schemes  include  Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Vikas  Yojana  (PMKVY), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), Rural Self Employment  and  Training  Institutes  (RSETI),  Deen  Dayal  Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), etc. Pradhan Mantri  Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 2016-20 is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill  Development  and  Entrepreneurship  being  implemented  with  an objective to provide skill development training i.e. Short Term Training (STT)  and  Recognition  of  Prior  Learning  (RPL),  across  the  country  in diverse sectors.

(c) to (e): Directorate  General  Factory  Advice  Service  and  Labour Institutes  (DGFASLI)  has  conducted  safety  and  occupational  health surveys  to  ascertain  the  status  of  working  conditions,  safety  and health of the workers in factories. Unit Level Consultancy Studies are also  undertaken  at  the  request  of  management.  Further,  a  National Study  on  Occupational  Safety,  Health  and  Working  Environment  was conducted  in  Asbestos  Cement  Product  Industries  from  November, 2018 to February, 2019.

The Government of India has declared the National Policy on Safety, Health and Environment at Workplace (NPSHEW) which aims to establish a preventive safety and health culture in the country through diseases, fatalities, disasters and to enhance the well-being of employees in all elimination of the incidence of work  related injuries, the sectors of economic activity in the country.

For the manufacturing sector, the Government of India has enacted a comprehensive legislation i.e., the Factories Act, 1948, for ensuring the occupational safety, health and welfare of the workers employed in the factories registered under the Factories Act, 1948.

The  matters relating to safety, health and  welfare of persons  employed  in  the  mines  are  dealt  with  under  the  Mines  Act, 1952, Rules and Regulations made there under. Directorate General of Mines  Safety  (DGMS)  under  the  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment, Government  of  India  administers  this  Act  for  ensuring  safety  in  the mines of the country.

To maintain the safety of labourers working under great risk conditions in mines DGMS organizes conference, training programme, and workers  towards  safety  measures  and  avoid  unsafe  practices  in workshop  to  sensitize owners, agent, manager,  supervisors mines.

The officials of Directorate General of Mines Safety, regularly  make  inspection  of  the  mines  and  if  any  irregularities/ deficiencies  in  relation  to  safety,  health  and  welfare  are  found concerned mine management are addressed for the redressal.

For the port sector, the Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare)  Act,  1986  has  been  enacted  by  the  Central  Government  to take care of safety, health and welfare of the dock workers working in the  ports.  The  Dock  Workers  (Safety,  Health  and  Welfare)  Act,  1986 and  Regulations,  1990  framed  thereunder  are  being  enforced  by DGFASLI through the Inspectorate of Dock Safety offices in the major ports of the country.

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