Lok Sabha Question No. 4590 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-28
Subject: Welfare Schemes for Agricultural Labourers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Kanakmal Katara

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4590

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 28 th  MARCH, 2023

## WELFARE SCHEMES FOR AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS

4590.  SHRI KANAKMAL KATARA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that many agricultural labourers of Scheduled Tribes are deprived of the welfare schemes by the Government due to lack of leasehold land and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the number of agricultural labourers in the country including Rajasthan for whom some welfare schemes are proposed to be implemented by the Government, State-wise; and

(c) the steps proposed to be taken by the Government to provide agricultural loans to the farmers?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) & (b): No specific census/survey of landless agricultural labourers has  been conducted and as such the exact number of landless agricultural labourers in the country is not available.

However, the Government is mandated to provide Social Security to all unorganised sector workers, including landless agricultural labourers in the country including Rajasthan by formulating suitable welfare schemes on matters relating to (i) life and disability cover, (ii) health and maternity benefits, (iii) old age protection and (iv) any other benefit as may be determined by the 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. The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) is also available to the people in the

O.I.H.

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'. The Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) 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 1840 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 are provided to LIC being the fund manager. Apart  from  these  schemes,  Atal  Pension  Yojana,  Public  Distribution  System  under National Food Security Act, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gramin Kaushal Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, National  Social  Assistance  Programme,  Gareeb  Kalyan  Rojgar  Yojana,  Mahatma  Gandhi Bunkar  Bima  Yojana,  Deen  Dayal  Upadhyay  Antyodaya  Yojana,  PMSVANidhi,  Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, are also available to the unorganised workers 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. (c): Through the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, the Government is already providing short term agri credit upto Rs. 3 lakh at subsidized rate of interest (4% per annum on timely repayment of loan) to all farmers including sharecroppers and tenant farmers. Such farmers are  also  entitled  for  coverage  under  crop  insurance  Schemes  with  benefit  of  subsidy  in premium. States have to prescribe the modalities for enabling such farmers to avail credit and crop insurance. Further, farmers can avail of loan upto Rs. 1.6 lakh without any collateral.

Landless and tenant farmers/artisans can also avail collateral-free institutional credit by forming Joint Liability Groups (JLGs), which is a medium for financing landless farmers, tenant farmers, sharecroppers and oral lessees.

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