ENSURE WELFARE OF MINE WORKERS ON PRIORITY TO INCREASE PRODUCTION
AND PRODUCTIVITY - SHRI ADVANI
It is our duty to ensure welfare
of six lakh coal mine workers. During the Consultative Committee
meeting discussions on "welfare activities in coal India and its
subsidiaries", Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs,
Coal & Mines Shri L.K Advani said that on humanitarian grounds
there should not be any delay in providing adequate compensation
on the death of mine workers, occurred due to accident in the
mine.
The details of welfare activities
in CIL and its subsidiaries were circulated to all its members.
Welfare of coal miners has been given the same importance as production,
productivity and safety. Coal companies are increasingly paying
greater attention to the welfare of their workers and every effort
is being made to improve the living conditions of the employees.
Besides providing the statutory welfare facilities under Mines
Act/other enactment, the coal companies are given due importance
to improve the basic necessities like housing, water supply, medical
care etc.
The availability of houses which
were 1,18,366 at the time of nationalization of coal companies,
has increased to 4,07,369 as on April 1, 2002. Housing satisfaction
has now reached about 78.35% from the level of 21.70% at the time
of nationalization.
As against 2.27 lakh population
having access to potable water at the time of nationalization
23.19 lakh population have now been covered under water supply
scheme. This is the result of concerted efforts made by the coal
companies.
CIL and its subsidiaries are
extending medical facilities to the employees and their families
through various medical establishments starting from dispensary
level to central and Apex hospitals in different parts of the
coal fields. There are 87 hospitals with 5979 beds, 436 dispensaries,
661 ambulances, 1769 doctors including specialists in CIL and
its subsidiaries to provide medical services to the employees.
50 beds are available at TB Sanatorium, Ranchi and 25 Ayurvedic
dispensaries are also being run in the subsidiaries of CIL. As
per the statutory provisions, all employees are subjected to periodical
medical tests and their health conditions are followed up.
Although educational facilities
are provided by the State Government, yet in order to provide
quality education to the employees' children, certain project
schools like DAV, Central School, Delhi Public School have been
functioning with financial support from Coal companies. Coal companies
provide financial assistance to certain privately managed schools
which are functioning in the vicinity of coal field area as a
part of community development activity. There are about 1250 schools
and colleges which are functioning in and around the coal field
areas.
Various sport activities such
as Foot ball, Volley ball, Hockey, Badminton, Table Tennis, Cricket
and Athletics are organised at Area level, company level and inter-company
level. "Arjun Award" was also conferred on Shri Vijay Balchandra
Munishwar of WCL in the year 2000.
There are 9 central cooperatives
and 132 primary cooperatives spread over in the subsidiaries which
facilitate availability of consumer goods at a reasonable rate.
Also there are 140 credit societies which serve the purpose of
immediate cash requirement. 223 bank branches and 31 bank extension
counters are also functioning in Coal field areas. In addition
to various welfare activities for its employees, continuous efforts
are being made to uplift the social life and economic conditions
of the people around the coal mines and projects under Community
Development Scheme.
Total expenditure incurred on
welfare during the last 3 years is Rs. 3885.33 crores. Rs.1275.08
crore have been spent on welfare during the year 2001-02,. The
CIL welfare board, a Joint Bipartite Body of Management and Trade
Unions reviews and monitors the welfare activities in the coal
companies.
The Coal Mines Provident Fund
(CMPF) organisation, an autonomous body established under the
coal mines provident fund and miscellaneous provisions Act, 1948
is responsible for administering the coal mines provident scheme,
1948, Coal Mines Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, 1976, and Coal
Mines Pension Scheme, 1998. These three schemes are administered
by a tripartite board of trustees consisting of Government representatives,
employer's representatives and employees' representatives. The
Coal Mines Pension Scheme has 7,92,314 coal workers as members
as on December 2001.
It was
decided by Shri Advani that before the next Consultative Committee
meeting, members will inform the Coal Ministry about the shortcomings
in welfare activities company-wise and officials will provide
available information to discuss in detail the raised issues.
