Health cover for 4.75 mn domestic workers soon

The government is considering extending the benefits of the Centrally-sponsored health insurance scheme Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), besides the enforcement of minimum wages, to all domestic workers in the country.

This is one of the recommendations made by a task force set up by the labour ministry. Labour and Employment Minister Mallikarjun Kharge today said all these recommendations were being considered by the ministry.

According to the 61st round of the NSSO survey, 2004-05, there are 4.75 million domestic workers in the country. The task force has defined them as employees who work in households for remuneration either in cash or kind through agencies or on their own, and are working on temporary or permanent, part-time or full-time basis. The definition, however, does not include people engaged in driving vehicles or occupations that keep them outside the household.

The task force, which had made these recommendations in its first report, has also asked for extension of the welfare schemes like health and maternity benefits, death and disability benefits and old-age benefits to domestic workers.

RSBY, which provides a health insurance cover of Rs 30,000 at an annual premium of Rs 30, would be the first welfare scheme to be extended to the domestic workers. The smart cards used under RSBY can later be used to load other welfare schemes rolled out for domestic workers.

RSBY smart cards are unique in their being mobile and in their ability to be used simultaneously by different members of the family placed in different locations.

The task force says the domestic workers should be identified and registered by the State Labour Department.

The report also says domestic work should be included in the Central list of scheduled employment, vide a notification under the Minimum Wages Act, for the fixation and enforcement of minimum wages to them. The state governments that have not fixed minimum wages for domestic work should fix these.

The report also recommended mandatory registration of all placement agencies and individuals providing placement, sourcing and recruitment service relating to domestic work under the Shops and Establishment Act.