June 30, 2001

‘21’

    A unique social security scheme for agricultural workers named "Krishi Shramik Samajik Suraksha Yojana -2001" becomes operational from tomorrow. Giving details at a joint press conference with the Finance Minister here today, the Labour Minister Dr. Satyanarayan Jatiya said the scheme is to provide comprehensive life insurance protection, periodical lump sum survival benefit and pension to agriculture workers. He said the scheme would be introduced in stages to cover over 30 crore agriculture workers. Initially it would come into effect in 50 blocks in as many districts across the country covering 20,000 landless agricultural labourers in each block in the current financial year. Dr. Jatiya said that marginal farmers would be brought in its fold in the second stage.

    The Finance Minister Shri Yashwant Sinha said that 150 crore rupees would be made available for the scheme from the Rs.500 crore Social Security Fund of the Life Insurance Corporation of India. (LIC) . He assured that more funds, if required, would be made available from the central budget.

    It may be recalled that the Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, while inaugurating Indian Labour Conference in May this year, had announced that a Social Security Scheme would be launched from 1^st July with an initial corpus of Rs.150 crore.

    The Scheme devised by LIC in consultation with the Ministry of Labour envisages the subscribers to pay Rs.one per day as premium while the Central government would contribute double that amount. It will be open to agricultural labourers in the age group of 18-50 years. In case of natural death, accidental death/injury or partial or permanent disability before attaining age of 60 years, the subscriber or his nominee would receive a lump sum payment ranging between Rs.20,000/- to Rs.50,000/- . On surviving upto 60 years, the subscriber would receive monthly pension ranging from Rs.100 to Rs.1900 and in case of death the family would receive a lump sum payment ranging between Rs.13,000 to Rs.2.50 lakhs depending upon the age of entry to the scheme.