Lok Sabha Question No. 103 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-11-30
Subject: Women Farm Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: HEMANT TUKARAM GODSE, SANTOSH AHLAWAT, CHANDRAKANT BHAURAO KHAIRE, SUMEDHANAND SARASWATI, SAKUNTALA LAGURI

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 103 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.11.2015

## WOMEN FARM WORKERS

## 103. SHRI GODSE HEMANT TUKARAM:

SHRIMATI SANTOSH AHLAWAT:

SHRI CHANDRAKANT KHAIRE:

SHRI SUMEDHANAND SARSWATI:

SHRIMATI SAKUNTALA LAGURI:

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

- (a)the  number  and  percentage  of  women  engaged  in  agricultural
- sector against the total workforce in the country;
- (b)whether the Government has defined the said labour activities as self employment, daily wagers or independent labour;
- (c)the contribution of this workforce in the national income;
- (d)whether women workers including women agriculture workers are not getting minimum wages as per the Minimum Wages Act and if
- so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (e)whether the Government has made any assessment regarding the state of women farm workers; and
- (f)if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to improve the conditions of women farm workers in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

- (a): As  per  the  Worker  Census  2011,  the  number  of  female workers  in  the  agriculture  sector,  comprising  of  cultivators  and agricultural  labourers,  is  9,76,37,199  against  the  total  workforce  of 48,18,88.868,  which  constitute  20.26%  of  the  total  workforce  in  the country.

- (b): The  'unorganized  worker'  has  been  defined  under  the Unorganized  Workers  Social  Security  Act,  2008  as    a  home-based worker,  self-employed  worker  or  a  wage  worker  in  the  unorganized sector  and  includes  a  worker  in  the  organized  sector  who  is  not covered  by  any  of  the  Acts  mentioned  in  Schedule-II  of  this  Act.  As such  all  unorganised  workers  engaged  in  agriculture  sector  are covered under the Act.
- (c): The  data  in  respect  of  workforce-wise  contribution  in national income is not maintained. However, in 2013-14 the combined Agriculture, forestry & fishing sector contribution to national income is around 17.2%.
- (d): The  enforcement      of  the  Minimum  Wages  Act,  1948  is secured  at  two  levels.  While    in    the    Central    Sphere,      the enforcement    is    secured    through    the    officers    of    the    Central Industrial Relations  Machinery  (CIRM),  the compliance  in the State Sphere  is  ensured    through  the  State  enforcement  machinery.  The officers of these machineries are appointed as Inspectors under the provisions of the Act.   They  conduct  regular inspections  and in the event  of detection of any case  of non-payment  of minimum   wages, they  advise  the  employers  to  make  payment  of the shortfall of wages.   In case of non-compliance of advices of inspectors, there are provisions of prosecutions in the Act against the defaulting employers.
- (e) & (f): The Government has enacted 'Unorganised Workers' Social Security  Act,  2008'  for  the  welfare  of  unorganised  workers  which includes  women  farm  workers.  The  Act  provides  for  formulation  of suitable welfare schemes for unorganised workers 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 schemes formulated by the Government so  far  to  provide  social  security  cover  to  the  unorganized  workers including  women  farm  worker  and  being  managed  by  the  respective Ministries/Departments  of  the  Government  of  India  are  listed  in  the Schedule I of the above Act as under:

- i. Indira  Gandhi  National  Old  Age  Pension  Scheme  (Ministry  of Rural Development)
- ii. National Family Benefit Scheme (Ministry of Rural Development)
- iii. JananiSuraksha Yojana (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)
- iv. Handloom Weavers' Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (Ministry of Textiles)
- v. Handicraft Artisans' Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (Ministry of Textiles)
- vi. Pension to Master Craft Persons (Ministry of Textiles)
- vii. National  Scheme  for  Welfare  of  Fishermen  and  Training  and Extension (Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries)
- viii. Janshree Bima Yojana and AamAadmi Bima Yojana (Ministry of Labour and Employment).
- ix. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)

The Act also enjoins upon State Governments to formulate schemes relating to (a) provident fund; (b) employment injury benefits; (c) housing; (d) educational schemes for children; (e) skill up gradation of workers; (f) funeral assistance; and (g) old age homes.

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