Find alternative to run worker welfare schemes: Panel to govt

A Parliamentary panel today asked the government to come out with an alternate mechanism to run welfare schemes for mine labourers which were earlier funded by cess collected on iron, manganese and chrome ores.
"As the iron ore, manganese ore and chrome ore cesses have now been abolished by Finance Act, 2016, the committee desire that an alternate action plan should be prepared to run those welfare schemes, which were earlier financed through the cess funds for the benefit of mine labourers," the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour said in its report tabled in Parliament today.
The cesses levied on iron ore, manganese ore and chrome ore were abolished by the Finance Act 2016.

The committee also suggested that a full-fledged serious study of all 5 cess funds is required to be done.
The cess funds include Mica Mine Labour Welfare Fund; Iron Ore Manganese Ore Mine and Chorme Ore Mines Labour Welfare Fund; Limestone and Dolomite Mines Welfare Fund and Cine Workers Welfare Fund.
The panel said that more efforts are required to spend the funds allocated for beedi workers welfare where only Rs 13.80 crore has been spent against the provision of Rs 55.12 crore in 2015-16.

It also said that an action plan for the housing of beedi workers should be prepared in consultation with the competent authorities.

The also asked the ministry for early finalisation of the modalities to transfer dispensaries/hospitals run by the Labour Welfare Organisation to ESIC.
Noting that total effective allocation of Rs 772.58 crore as 2015-16 budget estimates has been brought down to Rs 339.70 crore at the revised stage and of this Rs 61 crore was unspent, the panel said that more attention is required to be paid on child labour scheme and workers education scheme where huge amount is unspent.