[New Delhi]Centre Keen To Rehabilitate Unaccounted+Unorganised Rag Pickers
The data in respect of number of Rag Pickers is not available. With Govt This was accepted by Bandaru Dattatreya, the Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment, in reply to a question in Lok Sabha today
The Government has enacted “Un organised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008” for the welfare of un organised workers and the Rag Pickers are covered there under. 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 through the National Social Security Board. Various Schemes, formulated by the Government to provide social security cover to the unorganized workers, listed in the Schedule I of the above Act are as under:
i.Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme. (Ministry of Rural Development)
ii.National Family Benefit Scheme. (Ministry of Rural Development)
iii.Janani Suraksha 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.Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana. (Department of Financial Services).
ix.Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana. (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)
In addition to the above, the Rag Pickers have also been extended scholarship benefits under the scheme namely “Pre-matric scholarship for children of those engaged in occupations involving cleaning and prone to health hazards”.
Under the Scheme there is a provision of scholarship of Rs. 750/- per annum to the students who are day scholars studying in classes I to X and Rs. 1000/- per annum to hostellers studying in classes III to X.
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 upgradation of workers;
(f) funeral assistance; and
(g) old age homes.
This information was given by Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, the Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment, in reply to a question in Lok Sabha today