Domestic workers to be brought under ESI fold soon: Dattatreya

 Labour Ministry will soon launch a social security scheme for domestic workers on pilot basis in Delhi and Hyderabad as part of Central government's commitment to provide health insurance for all, Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said today.

"We will roll out a new scheme to bring domestic workers under the ESI fold. This scheme intends to provide ESI facilities to domestic workers. Employers need to contribute Rs 200 monthly towards this scheme that will enable medical facilities for domestic workers," Dattatreya told reporters here.

"We have decided to start the scheme soon as pilot project in Delhi and Hyderabad ... we will involve NGOs also besides will talk to state governments to make the scheme better," the Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment said, adding that Rs 200 per month contribution by employers will provide medical insurance for domestic workers and his/her family.

Reiterating government's commitment to bring all the unorganised sector workers under social security schemes, he said the process has begun to include around five crore construction workers to provide them with EPF and ESI facilities.

On Rajya Sabha recently passing the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill 2016, that provides for 26 weeks maternity leave, Dattatreya said India will move to third position in terms of the number of weeks for maternity leave after Norway and Canada.

"The Bill will benefit over 1.8 million women workers," he mentioned.
The minister said Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill-2012 has been passed by both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, besides Employee's Compensation (Amendment) Bill-2016 and Factories (Amendment) Bill-2016 have also been passed by Lok Sabha.

Reacting to a query on enforcing the rules of various labour laws, Dattatreya said, "We are trying to constitute dedicated teams giving them provisions to act ensuring effective enforcement (monitoring of rules)."

Six regional conferences will be held across the country by the Labour Ministry in this regard, he added.