Ministerial Panel To Consider Draft Farm Workers Bill

The government has constituted a ministerial committee to consider the draft agricultural workers bill. The committee consists of Union ministers of labour, agriculture, welfare, commerce and industry.

Addressing a meeting of the parliamentary consultative committee attached to his ministry, Union minister of labour M Arunchalam said the cabinet had deferred the consideration of the draft bill till the views of all the state governments were received. All the Chief Ministers have been asked to send in their views immediately.

Arunachalam informed the committee that a sub-committee had been constituted to study the service conditions of teachers in private schools.

He said a group insurance scheme for cine workers had been introduced in March 1997. Cine workers of age group of 18 to 60 years and those who are not members of the employees provident fund will be covered under the scheme.

 

The scheme provides for payment of Rs 5,000 in case of natural death and Rs 10,000 in the case of death due to accident. The entire premium will be made out of the Cine Workers Welfare Fund. The scheme is expected to benefit 15,783 cine workers during 1997-98.

The minister also informed the members that the government had issued a notification to enhance the rate of provident fund contribution from 8.3 per cent to 10 per cent in respect of another 73 industries.

During the meeting, the members expressed concern over non-payment of post-retirement benefits by several companies. They suggested that strict action should be taken against the managements of such companies.