3.

8 LABOUR WELFARE FUNDS

3.8.1 Tripartite Labour Welfare Fund Advisory Committee
With a view to catalyze labour welfare activities, a separate tripartite advisory
committee has been constituted by the government both at the Central and State
level under each labour welfare fund scheme. At the central level, the scheme is
looked after by the union ministry of labour. The state advisory/committee is headed
by the concerned State Labour Minister. Most of the welfare activities are organized
directly by labour welfare organizations for undertaking welfare work, adequate
financial assistance is made available to them and the employers through subsidies
Level of assistance
The central Government has taken several steps to streamline the various
welfare activities with a view to increase their “welfare Content” and extend their
coverage. The report of the task force appointed by the government for looking into
the problems of labour welfare was examined by a high level empowered
committee. It look a series of decisions for enhancing the scope of welfare
activities. One of the important recommendations of the Committee was that the
various welfare schemes undertaken against different welfare funds need to be
adequately financed by the government.
Labour Welfare Facilities under Welfare Funds
The annual reports of Ministry of labour have given a detailed account of
various labour welfare facilities made available to workers under different welfare
funds. A gist of which is discussed here in somewhat detail.
(a) Assistance of Medical Facilities: There exist a elaborate system under
which a variety of medical facilities are provided to mine workers.
(b) Assistance for Educational Facilities: The worker’s education and
training been recognized as one of the key areas of labour welfare. In the
changed socio- economic milieu, in the recent past, the need for effective
educational programmes for working class in general and that of women,
ST/SC workers in particular, has increased manifold. It is heartening to note
that the government has well – responded to this need of workers, which
obvious from the fact that during 1993 – 94 as
much as Rs. 455.99 lakhs were incurred on this head from the labour welfare fund. As a
result of this, 1,38,427 beedi, mine and cine workers were benefited.
(c) Assistance for Recreational Facilities: With a view to cater recreational requirement of
workers, the labour welfare organization provides a variety of recreational and cultural facilities to
them through a Multipurpose Institute (MPI) and Development Multipurpose Institute (DMPI) and
Welfare Centers. The labour welfare activities undertaken by these institutes include:
(1) Education of children and adults.
(2) Sports and games for adult and children. (3)
Motivation or workers.
(4) Mid-day meals to children.
(5) Training for female dependants of miners in tailoring and embroidery
For the recreation miners and beedi workers during 1922 – 93, a sum of Rs.11.89 lakhs was
incurred on various recreational activities.
(d) welfare programmes, top priority is accorded to housing facilities. Towards this end, the
A financial assistance is given to workers under all the housing schemes. Besides this, and
s additional subsidy of Rs. 1700/- is also made available to workers under “Build your own
s house” scheme for beedi and mine workers. The workers who have adopted a planned
i family aso enjoy a corresponding reduction in the loan liability.
s
ILO/UNFPAAssisted Project on Family Welfare Education
t
a An ILO/UNFPA assisted project on family welfare education for Beedi workers is under
nimplementation in the major beedi producing, states namely Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa
cand the West Bengal since February 1992. The main features of project as specified by the annual
ereport of Ministry of Labour 1944 – 95 are as under.

f (a) “The abject of the project is to educate, motivate and provide health and family welfare
o services to the Beedi workers and their families through the 58 dispensaries being run in
r these States under the Beedi Workers’ Fund. The target is to bring abut improvement in
couple protection rate by 25% of the level existing at the start of project and to meet the
H national goal of 60% protection and net reproduction of one by 2000 AD.
o (b) Field workers numbering 390, have been selected from amongst the Beedi Workers trained
u and deployed under the project. Refreshing training has also been imparted to them. Further,
s 900 TBAS (Training Birth Attendants) have been identified and are being trained.
i Dispensable delivery kits are being procured from DWACRA (Development of Women
n and Children in Rural Areas) groups fro supplying to the TBAS have also been trained
g under the project; health camps are also being organized at the dispensaries. Fifty – four
Mahila Mandals have been formed at all static and static – cum – mobile dispensaries. The
F workers are holding monthly motivational meeting. Along with stress on also been
a included in the project.”
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 State Welfare fund Scheme

Certain state governments have created welfare funds for the benefits of different categories
or workers.

Group Insurance Scheme of LIC for Unorganized Labour

The Life Insurance Corporation of India has implemented a social security scheme for
unorganized workers in Twenty – three occupations, by creating a social security fund from its
contribution and that of Government of India. The occupations which are covered under the scheme
are:
(1) Beedi Workers
(2) Brick – Kiln Workers
(3) Carpenters (4) Cobblers
(5) Fishermen (6) Hemals
(7) Handicraft Artisans
(8) Handloom Weavers
(9) Handloom and Khadi Weavers
(10)Lady Tailors
(11)Leather and Tannery Workers
(12)Physically Handicapped Self-employed Persons
(13)Primary Milk Producers (14)Risckshaw
Pullers/Auto Drivers. (15)Safai Karmacharis
(16)Salt Growers (17)Tendu Leaf
Collectors (18)The Urban Poor
(19)Forest Workers (20)Sericulture
(21)Toddy Tappers
(22)Powerloom Workers

3.8.2 Conclusion
Prof. Krakaldy observed, “The whole field of welfare is one in which much can be done to
combat the sense of frustration of the industrial worker, relieve him of personal and family
worries, to improve his health, to afford him a means of self-expression, to offer
him some sphere in which he can excel all others. If within the field of welfare and particularly that
part of which comprises sports and games a large measure of self-government can be left to the
workers, even in the management of facilities provided by the employer , a sense of responsibility,
imitative and co-operation can be fosterd and often among those whose daily tasks afford them the
least opportunity of developing characteristics so essential to industrial enterprise and wise citizen.
Labour welfare has tremendous potentialities for fostering good industrial relations in India.
Hence, we knight use scientific procedures for labour welfare and organization and the labour force
must be directed in right channels in our fast developing technological machinery.
“Ignorance, ill-health and dirt are the three giants” labour warfare ahs to fight in the home
life, personal life, work life and community life of the workers. They have to be fought our
steadily on all sides. In the coming years, the labourers shall be made mightier than the machine
with which he works, more fruitful than the dust on which he treads and richer that the earth into
which the digs.
Decent wages, adequate perquisites, and safe and clean work environment are basic to all
other actives in the area of human welfare, and therefore, the enterprises which reduce the wages
bill on these counts are sure to lose the goodwill of employees.

Objectives of labour welfare

To ensure welfare of labourers

To oversee increase in prosperity

To create healthy and cordial industrial relations between the labourers and
employer

To mediate in industrial complaints/disputes and ensure industrial peace.

To enforce various labour laws, thereby ensuring welfare of the workers.

To provide relief and due benefits to labourers through judicial work.

To ensure education, rehabilitation and other welfare of released child labourers

through National Child Labour Projects.

To undertake survey and research work under various labour laws.

To generate revenue for the state by receiving registration fee under different
labour laws
 Labor welfare has the following objectives:
1. To provide better life and health to the workers
2. To make the workers happy and satisfied
3. To relieve workers from industrial fatigue and to improve intellectual, cultural and material conditions
of living of the workers.

The basic features of labor welfare measures are as follows:

1. Labor welfare includes various facilities, services and amenities provided to workers for improving
their health, efficiency, economic betterment and social status.

2. Welfare measures are in addition to regular wages and other economic benefits available to workers
due to legal provisions and collective bargaining

3. Labor welfare schemes are flexible and ever-changing. New welfare measures are added to the
existing ones from time to time.

4. Welfare measures may be introduced by the employers, government, employees or by any social or
charitable agency.

5. The purpose of labor welfare is to bring about the development of the whole personality of the
workers to make a better workforce. The very logic behind providing welfare schemes is to create
efficient, healthy, loyal and satisfied labor force for the organization. The purpose of providing such
facilities is to make their work life better and also to raise their standard of living.

The important benefits of welfare measures can be summarized as follows: They provide better physical
and mental health to workers and thus promote a healthy work environment· Facilities like housing
schemes, medical benefits, and education and recreation facilities for workers’ families help in raising
their standards of living. This makes workers to pay more attention towards work and thus increases
their productivity.·

Employers get stable labor force by providing welfare facilities. Workers take active interest in their jobs
and work with a feeling of involvement and participation.·

Employee welfare measures increase the productivity of organization and promote healthy industrial
relations thereby maintaining industrial peace.·The social evils prevalent among the labors such as
substance abuse, etc are reduced to a greater extent by the welfare policies.
Organizations provide welfare facilities to their employees to keep their motivation levels high. The
employee welfare schemes can be classified into two categories viz. statutory and non-statutory welfare
schemes. The statutory schemes are those schemes that are compulsory to provide by an organization
as compliance to the laws governing employee health and safety. These include provisions provided in
industrial acts like Factories Act 1948, Dock Workers Act (safety, health and welfare) 1986, Mines Act
1962. The non statutory schemes differ from organization to organization and from industry to industry.

STATUTORY WELFARE SCHEMESThe statutory welfare schemes include the following provisions:

1. Drinking Water: At all the working places safe hygienic drinking water should be provided.
2. Facilities for sitting: In every organization, especially factories, suitable seating arrangements are to be
provided.

3. First aid appliances: First aid appliances are to be provided and should be readily assessable so that in
case of any minor accident initial medication can be provided to the needed employee.

4. Latrines and Urinals: A sufficient number of latrines and urinals are to be provided in the office and
factory premises and are also to be maintained in a neat and clean condition.

5. Canteen facilities: Cafeteria or canteens are to be provided by the employer so as to provide hygienic
and nutritious food to the employees.

6. Spittoons: In every work place, such as ware houses, store places, in the dock area and office premises
spittoons are to be provided in convenient places and same are to be maintained in a hygienic condition.

7. Lighting: Proper and sufficient lights are to be provided for employees so that they can work safely
during the night shifts.

8. Washing places: Adequate washing places such as bathrooms, wash basins with tap and tap on the
stand pipe are provided in the port area in the vicinity of the work places.

9. Changing rooms: Adequate changing rooms are to be provided for workers to change their cloth in
the factory area and office premises. Adequate lockers are also provided to the workers to keep their
clothes and belongings.

10. Rest rooms: Adequate numbers of restrooms are provided to the workers with provisions of water
supply, wash basins, toilets, bathrooms, etc.

NON STATUTORY SCHEMESMany non statutory welfare schemes may include the following schemes:

1. Personal Health Care (Regular medical check-ups): Some of the companies provide the facility for
extensive health check-up

2. Flexi-time: The main objective of the flextime policy is to provide opportunity to employees to work
with flexible working schedules. Flexible work schedules are initiated by employees and approved by
management to meet business commitments while supporting employee personal life needs

3. Employee Assistance Programs: Various assistant programs are arranged like external counseling
service so that employees or members of their immediate family can get counseling on various matters.

4. Harassment Policy: To protect an employee from harassments of any kind, guidelines are provided for
proper action and also for protecting the aggrieved employee.

5. Maternity & Adoption Leave – Employees can avail maternity or adoption leaves. Paternity leave
policies have also been introduced by various companies.

6. Medi-claim Insurance Scheme: This insurance scheme provides adequate insurance coverage of
employees for expenses related to hospitalization due to illness, disease or injury or pregnancy.
7. Employee Referral Scheme: In several companies employee referral scheme is implemented to
encourage employees to refer friends and relatives for employment in the organization.