(Online Course) Contemporary Issues for IAS Mains 2012: Govt. Plans Programmes & Policies - Welfare of Workers

Social Sector Initiations ( Welfare of Workers)

Question:  Welfare of Workers.

A. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana

More than 2.85 crore families are being provided health insurance cover under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana, out of which 52 lakh families have been issued smart cards. The scheme has been extended to cover construction workers, street vendors, domestic workers, beedi workers and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee workers (who have worked for more than15 days during the preceding financial year). It is proposed to further extend this scheme to other occupational groups in the unorganized sector in a phased manner.

B. Welfare of Workers in the Organized Sector

For the welfare of workers in the organized sector, the medical bonus has been enhanced from ` 2,500 per month to ` 3,500 per month under the Maternity Benefit Act. The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation has taken up new initiatives to improve the quality of service delivery. These include coverage of new geographical areas, implementation of an IT rollout plan and medical education projects. With a view to creating a world-class skilled labour force, training courses are being offered through a network of 2,244 government and 7,203 private Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). These institutes cumulatively offer 13.35 lakh training seats. Upgradation of 100 ITIs has been completed while schemes for upgradation of 400 it is with World Bank assistance and 1,396 it is under Public Private Partnership mode are under implementation. A Bill to amend the Inter-State Migrant workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Bill, 2011 has been introduced in the Parliament. The National Floor Level Minimum Wage has been revised from ` 100 per day to ` 115 per day with effect from 1st April, 2011.

C. Welfare Initiatives for Defence Personnel

Health coverage for ex-servicemen continues to be improved with the commissioning of 61 new polyclinics. The number of beneficiaries has increased by about 8.5% this year as compared to the previous year. Three new Zila Sainik Boards or District Sainik Welfare offices, including one each in Kargil in Jammu & Kashmir, Palwal in Haryana and Kutch in Gujarat have also been sanctioned. There has been continued emphasis on steps towards welfare of soldiers working in difficult deployments including chartering civil flights for faster movement, improvement in clothing, better rations, improved facility of vehicles, development of strategic railway lines and opening of new passenger reservations systems at different locations. To improve living conditions, 53,989 dwelling units have been completed under the Married Accommodation Plan. Construction of another 69,992 dwelling units is under progress.

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