May 1, 2018
Bengal Govt providing social security for all workers
Under the Trinamool Congress Government, the State Labour Department is proactively working towards the betterment of the conditions of workers – both organised and unorganised. The regulatory parameters of the Labour Department have been considerably reformed and simplified under the Ease of Doing Business programme.
Samajik Suraksha Yojana (Social Security Scheme)
Five schemes integrated and converged to make a single comprehensive scheme named Samajik Suraksha Yojana, 2017 – State-Assisted Scheme of Provident Fund for Unorganised Workers (SASPFUW), West Bengal Unorganised Sector Workers’ Health Security Scheme (WBUSWHSS), Social Security Scheme for Construction Workers (BOCWA), West Bengal Transport Workers Social Security Scheme (WBTWSSS), West Bengal Bidi Workers’ Social Welfare Scheme (WBBWWS)
Databases converged, with a single Social Security Identification Number (SSIN) issued, and registration, collection, claim and disbursement of benefits made totally online (in line with the State Government’s goal of e-governance)
All beneficiaries being issued Samajik Mukti Card, which contains the SSIN
First-of-its-kind scheme in India, moving towards providing a comprehensive package of social security benefits like provident fund, health cover, death and disability cover, etc. universally to unorganised workers
Sanction and disbursal of benefits of the scheme decentralised to subdivision level, so that people don’t have to travel all the way to Kolkata from far-off places
Medical benefits per year enhanced from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 and medical benefits for surgery per year made a uniform Rs 60,000 for all workers
Some innovative features: Special benefit for completion of undergraduate education or equivalent skill development for girl child and admissibility to the scheme made dependent upon remaining unmarried till a certain age, thus serving the twin goals of higher education and delay in early marriage for girls; disability insurance for both full disability and partial disability
Shramik Melas being held across the state at regular intervals to make workers aware of their rights and get more and more of them registered under Samajik Suraksha Yojana; held in 67 subdivisions in January 2018
93.6 lakh workers registered so far, out of whom 60.46 are unorganised-sector workers, 29.95 lakh are construction workers and 3.19 lakh are transport workers
Financial Assistance to the Workers in Affected Industrial Units (FAWLOI)
Scheme meant for providing financial aid to workers unemployed due to prolonged suspension of work in abandoned and closed industrial units
Benefits given are Rs 1,500 per month (earlier it was Rs 500 per month) and Puja or Eid ex gratia of Rs 1,500 per year
During financial year (FY) 2017-18 (upto January 2018), 14,535 beneficiaries received Rs 17.2 crore; another Rs 17 crore paid till March 2018
Samarthan
Scheme introduced in March 2017 to provide one-time grant of Rs 50,000 to labourers and workers forced to come back to Bengal after losing their jobs due to demonetisation
For FY 2016-17 and 2017-18, total of 18,512 persons registered and fund of Rs 92.56 crore released
Through the Samajik Suraksha Yojana, FAWLOI and Samarthan schemes, the government has ensured benefits to all classes of workers. This is, of course, in addition to the numerous other benefits offered through the other schemes introduced by Mamata Banerjee Government.
