National Policy on Domestic Workers

No such data is maintained at the Central level. However as per the  National Sample Survey(NSSO Statsitics-2011-2012,68th round) according to which estimated 39 lakhs people are employed as domestic workers by private households, of which  26 lakhs are female domestic workers.

The Ministry of Labour & Employment is considering to formulate a National Policy on Domestic Workers which is in the draft stage. The salient features of the proposed draft National Policy on Domestic Workers are as under:-

(i)  Inclusion of Domestic Workers in the existing legislations

(ii) Domestic workers will have the right to register as unorganized   workers. Such registration will facilitate their access to rights & benefits.

(iii) Right to form their own associations/unions

(iv) Right to minimum wages, access to social security

(v)  Right to enhance their skills

(vi) Protection of Domestic Workers from abuse and exploitation

(vii)Domestic Workers to have access to courts, tribunals for grievance redressal

(viii) Establishment of a mechanism for regulation of private placement agencies.

(ix) Establishment of a grievance redressal system for domestic workers.

The Central Government is already implementing Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008, to provide social security relating to life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old age protection to the unorganised workers including domestic workers. Various Ministries/Departments of the Central Government are implementing such social security schemes like National Old Age Pension Scheme (Ministry of Rural Development); National Family Benefit Scheme (Ministry of Rural Development); Janani Suraksha Yojana (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare), Ayushman Bharat (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) .  In addition to the above welfare schemes, the Central Government has recently converged the social security schemes of Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY) with Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) to provide life and disability coverage to the unorganised workers for the age group of 18 to 50 years depending upon their eligibility. Converged PMJJBY gives coverage of Rs2 lakhs on death at premium of Rs.330/- per annum for an age span from 18 to 50 years.  Converged PMSBY gives coverage of Rs.2 lakhs on accidental death and disability at premium of Rs.12 per annum. These converged schemes of PMJJBY/PMSBY are being implemented by Ministry of Labour & Employment through Life Insurance Corporation of India. The annual premium is shared on 50:50 basis by the Central Government and the State Governments.Domestic Workers have also been included as a specific category of workers (with home as the workplace) in the Sexual Harassment of women at workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act (2013).In several States, trade unions are organizing domestic workers and unions have been registered exclusively for domestic workers.

Domestic Workers Sector Skills Council has been established under Ministry of Skills Development to enable professionalization of domestic workers and enable their career progression.

This information was given by Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar Union Minister of State (I/C) for Labour and Employment in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.