Review meeting held on the social security schemes for the organised and unorganized sector in the State

Hyderabad|India|September'2009:The Chief Minister K.Rosaiah has asked the officials concerned to convene a comprehensive workshop at the earliest and discuss in detail about various aspects of the need and constitution of a separate Board for the unorganized workers. He held a review meeting on the social security schemes for the organised and unorganized sector in the State.

The Parliament vide Act No.33 of 2008 has enacted "The Unorganized Workers Social Security Act, 2008" to provide Social Security and Welfare measures for the Unorganized workers and other matters connected therewith. The Unorganized worker is defined as a home based worker, self employed worker or wage worker in the unorganized sector and includes worker in the Organized sector who is not covered by any of the Acts mentioned in Schedule II of this Act.

The following Schemes are prescribed by the Act - Provident fund; Employment injury benefit; Housing, Educational schemes for children; Skill upgradation of workers; Funeral assistance and Old age homes.

The Chief Minister was informed that some Social Security Welfare Schemes have already been take up for the unorganized workers in Andhra Pradesh. There is every need to seek Central Assistance/guidance in formulation of the schemes for the uncovered unorganized workers in the State. The A.P. Backward Classes Cooperative Finance Corporation Limited, Hyderabad has taken up Several schemes such as subsidy to Washermen Federation including dhobi ghats, subsidy to Nayeebrahmins Federation, assistance to Vaddera Federation etc.

Mr Rosaiah was told that the Fisheries Department have taken up issues with regard to Unorganized workers such as Rebate on HSD Oil, Sales Tax exemption, Group Accident Insurance Scheme and Savings-cum-relief Scheme. The Handloom and Textile Department have implemented certain Social Security Schemes such as Health Insurance by ICICI Lombard, Mahatma Gandhi Bima Yojana by LIC, Old Age Pensions, Pavala Vaddi Scheme, Insurance Scheme of Powerloom workers etc.

Steps are under way to modify and include under Section 2(m) of the Act to cover all the workers in unorganized Sector like "Agricultural labour, Migrant labour, Masonry worker, Beedi worker, Cashew labour, Fireworks worker, Handloom worker, Powerloom worker, Dhobi, Barber, Vegetable vendor, Kerosene vendor, Rickshaw puller, Auto driver, Lorry driver/ Cleaner, Private bus driver/ cleaner, news paper vendor, milk vendor, pan seller, Auto garage worker, Electrician, plumber, Carpenter, Blacksmith, Goldsmith, Potter, Stone breaker, Todday tapper, Fruit picker/ seller, Shoe maker/ Seller, cooks, servers/ caterer, Domestic help, Quarry worker, Fisherman".

For effective implementation of the Act and Rules under the Unorganized Social Security Act, 2008 a meeting was convened on 10.8.2009 with all the HODs concerned/ stake holders to discuss the modalities for constitution of the State Board, framing of the State Rules and proposals for Social Security Welfare Schemes for Uncovered/ Unorganized workers.

In the meeting all the Heads of the Departments have been requested to send the proposals for the new schemes, extension of schemes for the uncovered workers and also copies of the executive instructions issued by the respective Departments in order to ensure that the Rules being framed by the State Government under the Act are not in contradiction with the executive instructions issued by the different Departments where the Welfare Social Security Schemes are implemented benefiting the unorganized Sector of Workers. The officials agreed to convene the workshop at the earliest.

Revenue Minister D Prasada Rao, Principal Secretary, Labour, Bhanwarlal, Secretary, MA&UD, Pushpa Subaramaniam, Commissioner, Labour, D Srinivasulu, Commissioner, BC Welfare, Koteswara Rao, MD, BC Finance Corporation, Purushotham Reddy and other officials attended the meeting.