Unorganized Workers to Get Social Security

Unorganized Workers to Get Social Security
(ICNS)
Aiming to help unorganized workers, the government plans to introduce social security schemes for them such as disability cover, health benefits and old age protection. The cabinet on Thursday 21^st of August approved implementation of the Unorganized Sector Workers’ Social Security Bill 2008 by making amendments in the Unorganized Sector Workers’ Social Security Bill, 2007 pending in Rajya Sabha. The National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (NCEUS), set up in September 2004, has been focusing on significant programmatic interventions to help people in the sector. The Commission had initially proposed a draft Bill “Unorganised Sector Workers (Conditions of Work & Livelihood Promotion) Bill, 2005” for comments and feedback. The Draft Bills provide for basic and minimum conditions of work for all unorganised wage workers and home workers. The proposed Bills also mandate that the government takes the necessary steps to protect and promote these livelihoods through appropriate policies and programmes. The NCEUS also proposed the formation of a National Fund designed to meet the multipurpose needs of both enterprises and workers in the unorganized sector. The schemes notified by the Central Government will contain provisions for life and disability cover, health benefits, old age protection or other benefit that may be decided by the Central Government. Every registered worker in the unorganized sector shall be issued an identity card.