Note4students
Mains Paper 2: Governance | Government policies & interventions for development in various sectors & issues arising out of their design & implementation
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:
Prelims level: National policy for domestic workers
Mains level: Welfare measures for domestic workers
News
Draft Policy for Domestic Workers
- The Ministry of Labour & Employment is considering to formulate a National Policy on Domestic Workers which is in the draft stage.
- The govt. has not enacted any separate law to protect the interest of domestic workers.
Salient features of the proposed draft National Policy on Domestic Workers
- Inclusion of Domestic Workers in the existing legislations.
- Domestic workers will have the right to register as unorganized workers. Such registration will facilitate their access to rights & benefits.
- Right to form their own associations/unions
- Right to minimum wages, access to social security
- Right to enhance their skills
- Protection of Domestic Workers from abuse and exploitation
- Domestic Workers to have access to courts, tribunals for grievance redressal
- Establishment of a mechanism for regulation of private placement agencies.
- Establishment of a grievance redressal system for domestic workers.
Other Policy Measures
- The Unorganized Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008 has been enacted for providing social security to all unorganized workers including domestic workers.
- The Act provides formulation of social security schemes viz life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits & old age protection.
- The State Governments are mandated under the Unorganized Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008 to formulate suitable welfare schemes for the unorganized sector workers.
Initiatives by states
- The State Governments of AP, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerela, Odisha, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Tripura have included domestic workers in the schedule of Minimum Wages Act.
- The matter of constitution of State Domestic Workers Board is under the jurisdiction of the State Governments.