Lok Sabha Question No. 709 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-12
Subject: Welfare of Agricultural Labourers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Ajay Kumar Mandal, Kanakmal Katara, Sunil Kumar Pintu, Dileshwar Kamait, Locket Chatterjee, Rama Devi, Navneet Ravi Rana, Ramesh Chander Kaushik, Mahabali Singh

(a) to (f):

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 709 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2022

## WELFARE OF AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS

## †709. SHRI AJAY KUMAR MANDAL:

SHRI MAHABALI SINGH:

MS. LOCKET CHATTERJEE:

SHRIMATI NAVNEET RAVI RANA:

SHRIMATI RAMA DEVI:

SHRI KANAKMAL KATARA:

SHRI SUNIL KUMAR PINTU:

SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK:

SHRI DILESHWAR KAMAIT:

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

- (a)the  special  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  the  welfare  of  agricultural labourers in the country and the number of agricultural labourers in Karakat, Bhagalpur, Supaul, Sheohar, Sitamarhi and East Champaran in Bihar, Hooghly in  West  Bengal  and  Maharashtra  including  Amravati  benefitted  from  such schemes  and  the  details  of  welfare  schemes  of  the  Government  for  the labourers in the unorganized sector particularly the rural and farm labourers;
- (b)the  scheme-wise  and  district-wise  details  of  the  funds  allocated  to  Bihar, West  Bengal,  Haryana,  Maharashtra  including  Amravati  under  the  said schemes during the last three years and the current year;
- (c)whether the Government proposes any special scheme for those labourers of the unorganized sector who have not been able to return to normalcy in the aftermath of Corona period and whose financial condition is very poor, if so, the details thereof;
- (d)the extent to  which number  of landless agricultural labourers/workers increased  across  the  country  including  Rajasthan  comparatively  during  the last three years and the current year, State/UT/yearwise;
- (e)the  details  of  schemes  being  implemented  to  provide  social  security  to unorganised sector particularly the rural and farm labourers/landless agricultural  labourers  and  workers  engaged  in  unorganised  sector  in  the country, State/UT-wise; and
- (f)the details of other schemes being implemented for welfare and upliftment of such  labourers  in  the  country,  State/UT-wise  along  with  the  number  of labourers benefitted during the said period?

## ANSWER

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

The details of the social security  schemes  for the workers of

## unorganised sector including rural and farm labourers are as follows:

- 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. As  on    31.10.2022,  a  total  number  of  14.02  crore  beneficiaries have been enrolled under PMJJBY. 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'.    As  on    31.10.2022,  a  total number  of  30.57  crore  beneficiaries  have  been  enrolled  under
- (i) PMSBY.
- (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.  As  on  06.12.2022,  a  total  of  21.02  crore  individuals have been verified and provided with the Ayushman Cards
- (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.  Under  the  scheme,  the  funds towards  Government's  contribution  is  provided  to  LIC  being  the fund manager. As on 08.12.2022, a total of more than 49.18 lakh workers  including  rural  and  farm  labourers  have  been  enrolled under the scheme.

No specific budget is allocated as these schemes are demand driven.

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 rural and agricultural labourers depending upon their eligibility criteria.

Further, the Government  has  launched  e-Shram  portal  in August 2021 with an objective to create National Database of Unorganised Workers and to facilitate delivery of Social Security Schemes/Welfare Schemes to the unorganised workers. As on 9.12.2022, more  than  28.45  crore  unorganised  workers  have  been  registered  on  eShram portal.

As per the Economic Survey 2021-22, the estimated number of workers in agriculture sector were 20 crore, 19.9 crore and 21.3 crore in the years 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 respectively.

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