COMPENSATION AND PENSION BENEFITS TO DAILY WAGE WORKERS

There are the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 including the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 (in the specified establishments and employing 20 or more persons) and The Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923 (for persons employed in factories, mines, plantations, mechanically propelled vehicles, construction works and certain other hazardous occupations) for the social and economic security of the workers. There is no distinction between a regular and a casual worker under both the Acts. However in the Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970 there is no provision for any compensation to the victims of the family in case of death of the former. The Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 aims at providing social and economic security to industrial and other workers covered under the Act and their dependents in casse of their premature death. Under the said Act the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 provides for pensionary benefits to the victims family. The Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923 provides for payment of compensation to workmen and their dependents in case of injury and accident (including certain occupational disease) arising out of and in the course of employment and resulting in disablement or death. The Act applies to railway servants and persons employed in any such capacity including persons employed in factories, mines, plantations, mechanically propelled vehicles, construction works and certain other hazardous occupations. Minimum rates of compensation for permanent total disablement and death have been fixed at Rs. 90,000/- and Rs. 80,000/- respectively. Maximum amount for death and permanent total disablement can go up to Rs. 4.56 lakh and Rs. 5.48 lakh respectively depending on age and wages of workmen. Though there is no specific scheme to inform the workers, there are various tripartite fora through which such messages are discussed and disseminated. This information was given by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shri Oscar Fernandes (Independent Charge) in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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