Lok Sabha Question No. 1825 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-30
Subject: Welfare of Women Workers
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: R.K. BHARATHI MOHAN

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF COAL

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 1825

TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.7.2015

Welfare of Women Workers

1825.	 SHRI BHARATHI MOHAN R.K.:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

1. Whether his Ministry has made any efforts for the empowerment of women and their welfare in the country;

1. If so, the details thereof;

1. Whether there is any regulation to prevent the women employees in the coal mine sector; and

1. if so, the details thereof?

A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL, POWER AND NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a)&(b) 	 Women employees are entitled to certain gender specific statutory benefits such a maternity benefit and equal remuneration for work.  Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries & Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited (NLC) under Ministry of Coal provide  support facilities for development of women for establishing a congenial/ conducive working climate for them.  They are provided with all the essential facilities for working.    A Women Cell has been constituted to look into any complaints of women employees against discrimination and sexual harassment.

There is a Forum for Women in Public Sector (WIPS) Cell in CIL and its subsidiaries & NLC. Companies extend support and patronage to WIPS.   WIPS cell   reaches out to the grass root level women employees, and suggest gainful redeployment, training and uplifting their morale by recognizing outstanding achievement, recognizing and honoring the exceptional talent.  NLC has won Best Enterprise Award from WIPS Forum/SCOPE on more than three occasions for providing excellent support to women employees for their growth and development.

CIL has established Nurses Training Institutes where training is imparted to the trainee Nurses to enable them to find employment.

Swabhiman - an initiative of Durgapur Creative Welfare Society under the supervision of WIPS  of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) has trained 300 women of nearby villages of Bankola Area in Tailoring  and other Village Industries product like Candle making, Food Processing, Silk screen painting, Phenyl and liquid soap making etc. for their Skill Development.

Female literacy Drive- to remove the stigma of illiteracy, Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) in collaboration with Central Board of Workers Education- an organisation under Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India launched Female Literacy Drive in BCCL. Till date BCCL has successfully completed five phases of Female Literacy Drive in which 737 female employees were made literate.

NLC is also undertaking various programmes viz.  PRAVEEN STHREE (Empowered Woman) – Vocational training to woken in useful trades like Light Motor Vehicle Driving, Beautician and Tailoring and VATI (Girl Child Development ) under which (i) Baby kit and sleeping kit are provided to new born girls (ii) Self-defense coaching is given to girl Children.

| (c)& (d) There is no regulation to prevent the women employees in the coal mine sector. However, there are certain restrictions regarding employment of women in mines under the Section - 46 of the Mines Act- 1952, which are given below:  (1) No woman shall, notwithstanding anything contained in any other law, be employed-  (a) in any part of a mine which is below-ground.  (b) In any mine above ground except between the hours 6 am and 7 pm.  (2) Every woman employed in a mine above ground shall be allowed an interval of not less than eleven hours between the termination of employment on any one day and the commencement of the next period of employment.  (3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section(1) the Central Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, vary the hours of employment above ground of women in respect of any mine or class or description of mine, so however that no employment of any woman between the hours 10 pm and 5 am is permitted thereby.  *****   |
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