Lok Sabha Question No. 1790 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-13
Subject: Welfare and Upliftment of Skilled/ Unskilled Labourers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Mahabali Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1790

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.02.2023

## WELFARE AND UPLIFTMENT OF SKILLED/ UNSKILLED LABOURERS

†1790. SHRI MAHABALI SINGH:

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

- (a)the  details  of  schemes/programmes  being  run/implemented  by  the Government  for  the  welfare  and  upliftment  of  the  unskilled  and skilled labourers/ workers in the country;
- (b)the  details  of  funds  approved/released  and  utilized  in  this  regard during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UTwise;
- (c)whether the Government has conducted/ proposes to conduct any study/survey in respect of condition of the workers at work places;
- (d)if so, the details thereof and the outcome in this regard; and
- (e)the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve  the overall  conditions  including  safety,  health  and  work  conditions  of the workers?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b): In  order  to  harvest  dividend  of  young  population  of  the country and to provide skilled training to the unskilled semi-skilled 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 Contd..2/-

Institutes (RSETI), Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana 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

(DDU-GKY), etc. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 2016Prior Learning (RPL), across the country in diverse sectors.

Further to provide social security benefits to the workers in the  unorganised  sector,  including  agricultural  labourers,  Government enacted the Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act, 2008. This Act stipulates  formulation  of  suitable  welfare  schemes  for  unorganised workers  including  farm  labourers  on  matters  relating  to:  (i)  life  and old  age protection  and  (iv)  any  other  benefit  as  may  be  determined  by  the disability cover, (ii) health and  maternity benefits, (iii) Central Government.

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 who give their consent to join/enable auto debit. 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/- which is to be auto debited from the subscriber's bank/post office account.

- (i)  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 who give their consent to join/enable auto debit.  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  which  is  to  be  deducted  from  the  account
- holder's bank/post office account through 'auto-debit'.
- (ii)        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.

Contd..3/-

- (iii)    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. 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.

- e-SHRAM  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.
- (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 elimination of the incidence of work related injuries, diseases, fatalities, disasters and to enhance the well-being of employees in all the sectors of economic activity in the country.

The Government  has also introduced 'The Occupational Safety,  Health  and  Working  Conditions  Code,  2019'  to  consolidate  and amend the laws regulating the occupational safety, health and working conditions of the persons employed in an establishment and the matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

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, workshop to sensitize owners, agent, manager, supervisors and workers towards safety measures and avoid unsafe practices in mines.

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