Lok Sabha Question No. 1052 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-26
Subject: Working Women as Household Help
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Aparajita Sarangi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1052

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2021

## WORKING WOMEN AS HOUSEHOLD HELP

1052. SHRIMATI APARAJITA SARANGI:

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

- (a)the number of women working as 'household help' over the last five years in Odisha;
- (b)whether the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unjust termination of employment of women working as 'household help';
- (c)if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  corrective  actions  taken  by  the
- Government to extend financial support to them;
- (d)whether the State of Odisha has high number of women working as 'household  work'  compared  to  other  States,  if  so,  the  reasons
- therefore and actions taken to remedy the same;
- (e)the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  fix  a  minimum  wage  for 'household  help'  and  the  actions  taken  thereon  to  ensure  strict adherence; and
- (f)whether  any  instance  of  suicide  by  a  'household  help'  due  to unemployment has been noted from the State of Odisha during the COVID-19 lockdown?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e): As per the data collected by National Sample Survey NSSO Statsitics-2011-2012, (68 th   round)  92,714  workers    were  estimated  to be employed by private households in Odisha.

COVID - 19 pandemic followed by lockdowns has affected all class of workers  across  the  globe  including  household  help.  Under  Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana a total of 20.40 crore (approx.) women account  holder    including  household  help  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan Dhan  Yojana    were  given    ex-gratia  of  Rs.500  per  month  for  three months. Additional allocation of food grains at Rs. 5 Kg per month free of  cost  was  provided  to  all  beneficiaries  including  household  help covered  under  the  targeted  Public  Distribution  System.  The  scheme has been extended for the period April, 2021 to November, 2021. Free of  cost  LPG  cylinders  were  provided  to  8  crore  beneficiaries  of Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana which has also benefitted household help. The Central Government had enacted the Unorganized Workers' Social  Security  Act,  2008,  now  subsumed  in  the  Code  on  Social Security, 2020, for providing social security to all unorganized workers including  domestic  workers.  The  Act  provides  formulation  of  social security  schemes  viz.  life  and  disability  cover,  health  and  maternity benefits  &  old  age  protection  by  the  central  Government.  The  state Government are mandated under the Act to formulate suitable welfare schemes for unorganized sector workers including domestic workers relating to provident fund, employment injury benefits housing, education schemes  for children, skill up gradation of workers, financial assistance & old age homes. Several Central Sector Schemes like  PMJJBY,  PMSBY,  PM-SYM  etc.  already  provide  social  security cover  to  all  the  unorganised  workers  including  domestic  workers regarding insurance, disability, pension etc. Domestic Workers Sector Skill Council (DWSSC) under Ministry of Skill Development Entrepreneurship is imparting various skill development training programmes to domestic workers. Ayushman Bharat (PMJAY) provides secondary  and  tertiary  health  benefits  to  all  unorganized  workers including domestic workers who are covered as eligible beneficiaries as  per  Socio  Economic  Caste  census  Data,  2011.  The  domestic workers have been brought into the ambit of scheduled employment vide  the  Government  of  Odisha  notification  SRO  No.  326/2018  dated 03.08.2018. Their wages will be calculated as per hours of work.

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