UNORGANIZED WORKERS WELFARE BOARDS

Tamil Nadu is a forerunner among the states in enacting a law for providing social security cover to the unorganised workers. The Tamil Nadu Manual Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Work) Act, 1982 and the schemes enacted therein provide social security schemes and welfare assistances to the Unorganised Workers, engaged in the 54 (Construction) + 69 (Manual) categories of employments specified in the schedule appended to the Act.

These schemes provide various welfare assistances to the unorganised registered workers such as Education, Marriage, Maternity, Natural Death, Accidental Death, Funeral, Accident Disability, Monthly Pension and Family Pension (Registered Construction Workers only).

Functions of Unorganized Workers Welfare Boards

At the District level 40 Assistant Commissioners of Labour (Social Security Scheme) administers the functions of the Boards such as Registration, Renewal and Disbursement of Welfare Scheme Assistance to the Unorganised Workers.

The Head Office and District Assistant Commissioner of Labour (Social Security Scheme) offices of the unorganized welfare boards have been computerized for speedy compliance of claim applications.

The Online registration process was initiated from 19.06.2020 and from 20.07.2020 onwards identity cards have been issued to the registered workers. The online renewal and claim applications received from 26.08.2020 are verified by ACL (SSS) concerned.

The District Monitoring Committee headed by the District Collector monitors the timely disbursal of benefits to the members.

In order to mitigate the sufferings of manual workers while receiving scheme assistance, the disbursement of welfare scheme assistances are directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries/unorganisedworkers through Electronic Clearance System (ECS) mode with greater transparency.

Enhancement of Welfare Scheme Assistances

During the demand for grants 2021-2022 on the floor of Legislative Assembly, on 04.09.2021. The Hon’ble Minister for Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department has announced introduction /enhancement of the Welfare Scheme Assistances to the registered workers of Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board, Tamil Nadu Manual Workers Social Security & Welfare Board and 16 other Welfare Boards on 04.09.2021.

• Educational Scheme Assistance of Rs.1000/- to the children of registered Manual workers studying 6th to 9th Standard has been newly introduced.
• Educational Scheme Assistance for 10th standard studying girl children and 10th standard passed children of registered construction workers was enhanced from Rs.1000/- to Rs.2400/-
• For registered Construction Workers, Educational Scheme Assistance for 11th standard studying girl children was enhanced from Rs.1000/- to Rs.3000/- and 12th Standard studying girl children and 12th standard passed children was enhanced from Rs.1500/- to Rs.3000/- per year.
• For registered Construction Workers and registered Unorganized Driversand Automobile Workshop Workers, Educational Scheme Assistance for studying regular bachelor degree Rs.1500/- and hosteller Rs.1750/- was enhanced to Rs.4000/- per year.
• For registered Construction Workers and registered Unorganized Driversand Automobile Workshop Workers, Natural Death Assistance was enhanced from Rs.20,000/- to Rs.50,000/-. Similarly, for other Manual workers Natural Death Assistance was enhanced from Rs.20,000/- to Rs.30,000/-. For Unorganized Drivers and Automobile Workshop Workers Accidental Death Assistance have been enhanced from Rs.1,00,000/- to Rs.2,00,000/-.
• Similarly, Accidental Death Assistance has also been enhanced from Rs.1,00,000/- to Rs.1,25,000/- to registered Manual workers other than Construction Workers and Auto & Automobile Workshop Workers.

Types of Welfare Scheme Assistances

The following Welfare Scheme Assistances are provided to the workers, who are registered with 18 Unorganised Workers Welfare Boards:

Sl. No.	WELFARE SCHEME ASSISTANCE	Construction Workers Welfare Board	Drivers and Automobile Workshop Workers Board	Workers Registered in other Welfare Boards
		Amount (Rs.)	Amount (Rs.)	Amount (Rs.)
1.	Personal Accident Relief
	Accidental Death	1,00,000/-	2,00,000/-	1,25,000/-
	Accidental Disability (based on extent of Disability)	upto         1,00,000/-	upto         1,00,000/-	upto         1,00,000/-
	Accidental Death at work site and death even after admitted in hospitals.(during the course of employment) (including unregistered workers)	5,00,000/-	--	--
2.	Natural Death Assistance	50,000/-	50,000/-	30,000/-
3.	Funeral Assistance	5,000/-	5,000/-	5,000/-
4.	Educational Assistance
	Studying from 6thStd to 9thStd	1,000/-	1,000/-	1,000/-
	Girl Children studying 10thStd / All 10th passed students	2,400/-	1,000/-	1,000/-
	Girl Children studying 11th	3,000/-	1,000/-	1,000/-
	Girl Children studying 12th Std /All 12th passed students	3,000/-	1,500/-	1,500/-
	Regular Degree Course with Hostel facility	4,000/-	4,000/-	1,500/- 1,750/-
	Regular Post Graduate Course with Hostel facility	4,000/- 5,000/-	4,000/- 5,000/-	4,000/- 5,000/-
	Professional Degree Course with Hostel facility	4,000/- 6,000/-	4,000/- 6,000/-	4,000/- 6,000/-
	Professional P.G Course with Hostel facility	6,000/- 8,000/-	6,000/- 8,000/-	6,000/- 8,000/-
	ITI or Polytechnic with Hostel facility	1,000/- 1,200/-	1,000/- 1,200/-	1,000/- 1,200/-
5	Marriage Assistance     (a) for men    (b) for women	3,000/- 5,000/-	3,000/- 5,000/-	3,000/- 5,000/-
6	Maternity Assistance  Miscarriage/Medical Termination of Pregnancy	6,000/- 3,000/-	6,000/- 3,000/-	6,000/- 3,000/-
7	Reimbursement of cost of Spectacles	upto 500/-	upto 500/-	upto 500/-
8	a) Pension (Per month)	1000/-	1000/-	1000/-
	b) Family Pension (Permonth)	500/-	--	--

Source of Funds

The Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board receives contribution of cessat the rate of 1% of the total estimated cost of the building or the construction work proposed to be constructed. The contribution of Rs.764.02crore has been received as cess during the year 2021-22. (01.04.2021 to 31.03.2022)

The Tamil Nadu Unorganised Drivers and Automobile Workshop Workers Welfare Board receives the additional tax collected for every commercial motor transport carrying passengers or goods on roads at the rate of 1% under the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicle Taxation Act, 1974. An amount of Rs.7.57 Crorehas been received as additional tax from 01.04.2021 to 31.03.2022.

Tamil Nadu Manual Workers Social Security and Welfare Board and other 15 Welfare Boards receive Government Grants for implementing welfare schemes. The Government of Tamil Nadu have sanctioned a grant of amount Rs.138.59crore from 01.04.2021 to 31.03.2022.

Achievements of 18 Unorganised Workers Welfare Boards

Details of Registration and Disbursement of Welfare Assistances from the Inception of the Board upto31.03.2022:

Sl. No.	Name of the Board	Registration (in Lakhs)	Beneficiaries (in Lakhs)	Amount (Rs. in Crore)
1	Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board.	19.43	20.34	1017.09
2	Tamil Nadu Unorganised Drivers and Automobile Workshop Workers Welfare Board.	1.46	1.47	57.64
3	Tamil Nadu Manual Workers Social Security Welfare Board and 15 other welfare boards.	17.30	34.86	1210.90
Total		38.19	56.67	2285.63

Details of Registration and Disbursement of Welfare Assistances from 01.04.2021 to 31.03.2022:

S. No.	Name of the Board	Registration	Beneficiaries	Amount (Rs. in Crore)
1	Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board.	5,89,555	1,51,633	161.20
2	Tamil Nadu Unorganised Drivers and Automobile Workshop Workers Welfare Board.	53,883	15,651	8.74
3	Tamil Nadu Manual Workers Social Security and Welfare Board and 15 other welfare boards.	3,47,227	2,38,984	129.08
Total		9,90,665	4,06,268	299.02