Draft National Policy for Domestic workers under consideration

A draft National Policy for Domestic workers is under consideration of the Government. The salient features of the Policy are as under:

i. Inclusion of Domestic Workers in the existing legislations

ii. Domestic workers will have the right to register as workers with the State Labour Department. Such registration will facilitate their access to rights & benefits accruing to them as workers.

iii. Right to form their own associations , trade unions

iv. Right to have minimum wages, access to social security, protection from abuse, harassment, violence

v. Right to enhance their professional skills

vi. Protection of Domestic Workers from abuse and exploitation who are recruited to work abroad

vii. Domestic Workers to have access to courts, tribunals, etc.

viii. Establishment of a mechanism for regulation of placement agencies.

In order to provide social security benefits to the workers in the unorganised sector including domestic workers, the Government has enacted the Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act, 2008. The 2008 Act stipulates formulation of suitable welfare schemes for unorganised workers on matters relating to: (i) life and disability cover, (ii) health and maternity benefits, (iii) old age protection and (iv) any other benefit as may be determined by the Central Government through the National Social Security Board. Various Schemes, formulated by the Government to provide social security cover to the unorganized workers, listed in the Schedule I of the above Act are as under:

i. Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (Ministry of Rural Development)

ii. National Family Benefit Scheme (Ministry of Rural Development)

iii. Janani Suraksha Yojana (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)

iv. Handloom Weavers' Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (Ministry of Textiles)

v. Handicraft Artisans' Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (Ministry of Textiles)

vi. Pension to Master Craft Persons (Ministry of Textiles)

vii. National Scheme for Welfare of Fishermen and Training and Extension (Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries)

viii. Aam Admi Bima Yojana (Department of Financial Services)

ix. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare).

Central Government has also launched the Atal Pension Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana for all citizens especially targeting unorganised workers to provide them comprehensive social security.

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