November 20, 2001

CINE WORKERS WELFARE FUND (AMENDMENT) BILL 2000 MOVED IN THE LOK SABHA TO NET IN ALL CINE WORKERS

       The Cine Workers Welfare Fund (Amendment) Bill 2000 was moved by the Labour Minister Shri Sharad Yadav in the Lok Sabha today to raise the income eligibility ceiling of cine workers. Shri Yadav said the amendment would empower the Ministry to notify the income eligibility ceiling from time to time, as it deems necessary so that maximum number of cine workers are covered by the Welfare Fund. At present the income eligibility ceiling is Rs.1600/- monthly wage paid as remuneration or a lumpsum remuneration of Rs. 8,000/-. Due to low income eligibility ceiling, only half of the 63 thousand cine workers are at present entitled to avail benefits under the Welfare Fund. Shri Yadav said that the purpose of the amendment is to cover all cine workers and to do away with a need to amend the Act frequently.

    The bill to amend the Cine Workers Welfare Fund was introduced in Parliament in December last year. The Parliamentary Standing Committee to which the bill was referred has approved the amendment.

    The Cine Workers Welfare Fund operated by the Labour Ministry provides health care to cine workers and their families through dispensaries at Mumbai, Calcutta and Hyderabad. In addition, the cine workers are provided financial assistance to meet full cost of treatment for cancer and upto one lakh rupees for treating heart and kidney ailments. And to promote education among the children of cine workers, financial assistance for purchase of books and uniforms is provided besides scholarships. Other benefits include Group Insurance Scheme operated by the LIC. The Labour Ministry pays Rs.30/- per worker as insurance premium. The beneficiaries are entitled to a compensation of Rs.5.000/- in case of natural death and Rs.10,000/- in case of accidental death or permanent disability. This is in addition to compensation benefits facilitated under various other labour Acts.

    The corpus of the Fund is created out of a cess levied and collected as a duty of excise on feature films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification.