Lok Sabha Question No. 864 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-07
Subject: Beedi Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Thirumaa Valavan Thol

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 864 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2022

## BEEDI WORKERS

## 864. SHRI THIRUMAAVALAVAN THOL:

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

- (a)whether the Government has conducted any State-wise study about the  economic  status  and  the  job  related  health  hazards  of  the Beedi-rollers in India, if so, the details thereof;
- (b)the details of Labour protection measures taken by the Government so far for the Beedi workers, especially women and minors involved in this industry;
- (c)whether  the  welfare  schemes  available  in  the  country  for  Beedi workers  and the details of State-wise beneficiaries of these schemes; and
- (d)whether  the  Government  has  any  plan  to  provide  alternate  job  to rescue the Beedi workers from the job related health hazards?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (c): As  per  the  data  available,  there  are  49,82,294  registered Beedi  workers  in  the  country.  Region-wise  details  are  attached  at Annexure. There exists a Labour Welfare Scheme (LWS) for the Beedi Workers. Components of LWS are as under:-
- (i)  Health  care  facilities  are  provided  through 10  (Ten)  Hospitals  and 285 dispensaries across the country and reimbursement of expenditure  for  specialized  treatments  (i.e.  Cancer,  Tuberculosis, Heart Diseases, Kidney Transplantation).

(ii) Financial Assistance for education to the children of beedi workers from class-I to College/University ranging from Rs.250/- to Rs.15,000/per student per annum, depending upon class/course.

(iii) Subsidy of Rs.1,50,000/- (per beneficiary) in three (03) instalments at 25:60:15 ratio i.e. Rs.37,500, Rs.90,000 and Rs.22,500 respectively for  construction  of  pucca  houses,  under  Revised  Integrated  Housing Scheme  (RIHS)  2016.  However,  RIHS  has  now  been  converged  with Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

The benefits of Labour Welfare Schemes are provided to the beedi workers, which is demand driven. Hence, the benefits under the above  mentioned  schemes  have  been  imparted  to  all  the  Beedi Workers beneficiaries as and when required by them.

(d): The  Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment  in  collaboration with  National  Skill  Development  Corporation (NSDC) and  Ministry  of Skill  Development  and  Entrepreneurship  have  been  providing  skill Development  training  to  the  Beedi  Workers  and  their  dependents  to engage them in alternative jobs.

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Annexure Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 864 to

## be answered on 07.02.2022.

| Sl.No.   | Name of Region   |   No. of Beedi Workers |
|----------|------------------|------------------------|
| 1.       | Ahmedabad        |                  39011 |
| 2.       | Ajmer            |                  38791 |
| 3.       | Allahabad        |                 412757 |
| 4.       | Bangalore        |                 295501 |
| 5.       | Bhubaneswar      |                 208212 |
| 6.       | Hyderabad        |                 458040 |
| 7.       | Jabalpur         |                 440556 |
| 8.       | Kolkata          |                1829203 |
| 9.       | Guwahati         |                  24398 |
| 10.      | Kannur           |                  40276 |
| 11.      | Nagpur           |                 155089 |
| 12.      | Patna            |                 296972 |
| 13.      | Raipur           |                   3893 |
| 14.      | Tirunelveli      |                 603076 |
| 15.      | Ranchi           |                 136519 |
|          | Total            |                4982294 |

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