The Ministry of Labour & Employment is one of the oldest and important Ministries of the Government of Kerala. The main responsibility of the Ministry is to protect and safeguard the interests of workers in general and those who constitute the poor, deprived and disadvantage sections of the society, in particular, with due regard to creating a healthy work environment for higher production and productivity and to develop and coordinate vocational skill training and employment services. Government’s attention is also focused on promotion of welfare and providing social security to the labour force both in organized and unorganized sectors, in tandem with the process of liberalization. These objectives are sought to be achieved through enactment and implementation of various labour laws, which regulate the terms and conditions of service and employment of workers. The State Governments are also competent to enact legislations, as labour is a subject in the concurrent list under the Constitution of India.
The Vision and Mission of Labour Department
The Vision : Decent working conditions and improved quality of life of workers, ensuring India without child labor in hazardous sectors and enhancing employability through employment services and skill development on a sustainable basis.
The Mission : Improving the working conditions and the quality of life of workers through laying down and implementing policies / programmes / schemes / projects for providing social security and welfare measures, regulating conditions of work, occupational health and safety of workers, eliminating child labour from hazardous occupations and processes, strengthening enforcement of labour laws and promoting skill development and employment services.
Schemes and Programmes of Labour Department
Kerala Agriculture Workers Welfare Pension
This is one of the major Welfare Scheme implemented by Government of Kerala since 1980. The very intension of the Scheme is to give pension to the labourers in Agricultural field who attained the age of 60 and worked as agricultural labourer and hold the membership in Kerala Agricultural Workers Welfare Fund Board. The amount of pension is `Rs. 400/-
Kerala Tree Climbers Welfare Scheme
The Scheme started w.e.f 1/4/1979. The Scheme envisages payment of ex-gratia financial assistance to workers in the event of permanent total disablement (Rs. 25,000)or to the dependants of the workers in the case of death(Rs. 50,000).
Ex-gratia/festival allowance to the workers of closed down cashew factories
A Scheme for giving ex-gratia/festival allowance to the workers of closed down cashew factories as festival allowance during Onam Season.
Estate Workers (Distress Relief) Welfare Fund Scheme
A Scheme for giving distress relief to the estate workers
Daily Waged Employees Distress Relief Fund Scheme
Introduced during 2007-08, the Scheme is for providing help to the unorganized daily waged workers.
Kerala Unorganized Retired Workers Pension Fund Scheme
This Scheme came into force w.e.f 1/8/2008. This Scheme is applicable to unorganized workers including Nilathezhuthu Asan/Asatty who attained the age of 60 as on the date of implementation of the Scheme and those workers covered under the definition of workers in the artisans skilled workers welfare scheme 1991 for giving pension on attaining the age of 60, but does not include anyone who receive any pension either from Government in the form is Welfare Pension or from Statutory Board made for the welfare of workers. The amount of pension is `400/-
Rashtriya Swasthya Bhima Yojana and Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme.
RSBY is one of the Welfare Scheme formulated by the Government of India under the unorganized Workers Security Act, 2008 to provide quality medical services to those in the BPL list through hospitals in Government and private sector. State Government has formulated the Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS) on the same line of RSBY to benefit ten lakhs poor families and also the APL. RSBY and CHIS is being implemented in all the 14 districts in the State. The Scheme was started on 2/10/2008. A separate agency, namely Comprehensive Health Insurance Agency, Kerala (CHIAK) was formulated for implementation of RSBY and CHIS.
Aam Admi Bhima Yojana (AABY)
Aam Admi Bhima Yogana is a centrally sponsored Scheme formulate with the participation of State and Central Governments for ensuring social security of rural landless households in the country. The Scheme came into force in Kerala on 29/10/2008. The Scheme is being implemented through the LIC of India. In Kerala the Scheme extends to the BPL families having land not exceeding 5 cents and having no members in the family with permanent employment in organized sector. The Scheme provides Insurance Benefits besides scholarship to two school children studying between IX to XII standard from a family.
The following are the benefits extended by the Scheme.
- Benefit offered upon natural death of a member- Rs. 30,000/-
- On the death due to accident- Rs. 75,000/-
- Permanent total disability due to accident- Rs. 75,000/-
- Loss of two eyes or limbs due to accident- Rs. 75,000/-
- Loss of one eye or one limb due to accident- Rs. 37,000/-
Scholarship Rs. 100/- per month will be given to maximum two children studying between 9th and 12th standard from a family.
The various Acts come under the Labour Commissionerate are
- Shop and Commercial Establishment Act 1960 : Kerala Government provides lot of benefits and welfare schemes under Shop and Establishment Act.
- Building and Other Construction Works Act
- The Beedi and Cigar Workers(Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966
- The Contract Labour(Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970
- The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979
- The Kerala Headload Workers Act, 1978
- The Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961
- The Plantations Labour Act, 1951
- Child Labour (Prohibition And Regulation)Act, 1986
- Equal Remuneration Act, 1976
- Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
- Maternity Benefit Act, 1961
- Minimum Wages Act, 1948
- Payment Of Bonus Act, 1965
- Payment Of Gratuity Act, 1972
- Payment Of Wages Act, 1936
- Trade Unions Act, 1926
- Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923
Labour Welfare Boards in Kerala
- Kerala Abkari Workers’ Welfare Fund Board, Thiruvananthapuram -36
- Kerala Agricultural Workers’ Welfare Fund Board, Thrissur-4
- Kerala Artisans and Skilled Workers Welfare Scheme, Thiruvananthapuram-1
- Kerala Beedi & Cigar Workers Welfare Fund Board, Kannur
- Kerala Building & Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board, Thiruvananthapuram-14
- Kerala Cashew Worker’s Relief & Welfare Fund Board, Kollam
- Kerala Handloom Workers’ Welfare Fund Board, Kannur
- Kerala Headload Workers’ Welfare Fund Board, Ernakulam
- Kerala Labour Welfare Fund Board, Thiruvananthapuram-1
- Kerala Motor Transport Workers’ Welfare Fund Board, Kollam
- Kerala Shops & Commercial Establishments Workers Welfare Fund Board, Thiruvananthapuram -35
- Kerala Tailoring Workers’ Welfare Fund Board, Thiruvananthapuram-4
- Kerala Toddy Workers’ Welfare Fund Board, Thiruvananthapuram-11
- Kerala Beedi & Cigar Workers Welfare Fund Board Kozhikode
- Kerala Eetta, Kattuvally And Pandanus Leaf Workers’ Welfare Fund Ernakulam
- Kerala Small Plantation Workers’ Welfare Fund Board, Kottayam
- Kerala Jewellery Workers’ Welfare Fund Board, Thiruvananthapuram-01
