Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Textiles

26-November-2012 14:43 IST

Government of India is implementing following schemes for improving the working and economic conditions of Textiles workers of different sector:-

(i)   Government is implementing Textile Workers Rehabilitation Fund Scheme (TWRFS) for providing relief to the textile workers rendered unemployed owing to permanent closure of entire/partial textile unit in the private sector to enable them to settle in another employment. 

(ii)  Government is implementing Group Insurance Scheme for the Powerloom workers in association with LIC. Under the scheme, the powerloom workers are required to pay premium of only Rs. 80/- against the total premium of Rs. 330/- per worker per annum.  The balance is paid by Govt and LIC to the tune of of Rs.150/- and Rs.100 respectively. The scheme provides for payment of Rs.60,000/- in the event of natural death, Rs.1.50 lakhs in case of accidental death or permanent disability and Rs.75,000/- in case of partial disability. Besides this, the insured Powerloom worker is also eligible for educational assistance @Rs.100/- per month per child, for two children for a period of four years from Standard IX to XII.

(iii)  Government of India has introduced the scheme for development of skills of the workers in all segments of textiles including garment and powerlooms. This scheme has been introduced with the objective of giving proper training so that the workers can get employment and earn more wage than the wage of un-skilled workers.

(iv)  Government is implementing two separate schemes viz. the Health Insurance Scheme (HIS) for providing Health Insurance to the Handloom weavers and Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana (MGBBY) for providing Life Insurance Cover in case of natural/ accidental death, total/partial disability due to accident.

Total benefits worth Rs.15,000 are available to 4 members of the family under the Health Insurance Scheme, out of which upto 50% provision of Rs.7,500 is for OPD. 

Under Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana, life insurance cover is provided for Handloom weavers and ancillary workers. Besides this, the insured Handloom worker is eligible for Scholarships of Rs.300/- (per quarter per child) to children studying in Class IX to XII.

(v) Government is implementing ‘Health Insurance Scheme under the Centrally sponsored Catalytic Development Programme for the exclusive benefit of Women sericulturists through the Central Silk Board. The insurance premium of Rs. 767.28 per beneficiary is being shared among Govt. of India, State and beneficiary at 75:15:10 basis. The scheme covers not only the women as the prime insurer but also her husband and two children (1+3), covering all pre-existing diseases as well as keeping substantial provision for Out Patient Department (OPD), upto a maximum of Rs.15,000/- per year.

This information was given by the Minister of Textiles, Shri Anand Sharma in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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DS

Textile worker welfare schemes provide rehabilitation, subsidised group insurance, health cover, life insurance and skill development benefits. Central government welfare measures for textile workers include the Textile Workers Rehabilitation Fund Scheme for workers unemployed due to permanent unit closures; a subsidised Group Insurance Scheme for powerloom workers providing death, disability and educational benefits with government and insurer premium contributions; Health Insurance and Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana delivering family health cover, OPD provision, life and disability insurance and child scholarships for handloom workers; a women-focused sericulture health insurance with shared premium costs; and a skill development scheme to enhance employability.