 bill no 14 of 2010 the  plantations  labour (amendment) bill, 2010 byadv pt thomas, mp a billfurther to amend the plantations labour act, 1951be it enacted by parliament in the sixty-first year of the republic of india as follows:—1 (1) this act may be called the plantations labour (amendment) act, 2010short title and commencement(2) it shall come into force on such date as the central government may, by notification in the official gazette, appoint569 of 19512  after chapter iv of the plantations  labour act, 1951 (hereinafter referred to as theprincipal act), the following chapter shall be inserted,  namely:—insertion of new chapter iv a "chapter iv a welfare  and  insurance  schemes  for  workers1018a (1) the central government shall formulate and notify, from time to time,formulation of welfare schemes for workerssuitable welfare schemes including insurance schemes for workers on matters relating to—(a) life and disability cover; (b) health and maternity benefits; (c) old age protection; and5(d) any other benefits as may be determined by the central government(2) any scheme notified by the central government under sub-section (1) may be—(i) wholly funded by the central government; or10(ii) partly funded by the central government and partly funded by the stategovernment; or(iii) partly funded by the central government, partly funded by the state government and partly funded through contributions collected from the beneficiaries of the scheme or the employers as may be specified in the scheme by the central government:15provided that the contribution of the beneficiaries in any scheme, which provides for part contribution by the beneficiaries, shall not, in any case, exceed two per cent of the monthly wages of the beneficiary"3 in section 30 of the principal act, in sub-section (1),—amendment of section 3020(i) in clause (a), for the words "twenty days", the words "fifteen days" shall be substituted; and(ii) in clause (b), for the words "fifteen days", the words "twelve days" shall be substitutedamendment of section 324 in section 32 of the principal  act, after sub-section (1), the following proviso shall be inserted, namely:—25"provided that the period for which a woman worker shall be entitled to obtain from her employer the maternity allowance under clause (b) shall not be less than six months for each child birth" statement of objects and reasonsthe plantations labour act, 1951 was enacted to provide for the welfare  of  labour, and to regulate the conditions of work in plantationsworking in plantations is a hazardous occupation and most of the workers  in plantations fall sick due to various diseases such as malaria, dengue, encephalitis, elephantiasis, etc hundreds of plantation workers also die every year due to insect bites and snake bites at present, there is no insurance scheme for the plantation workers nor there is any scheme for old age pension and other welfare measures for the aged personsthe bill seeks to increase the number of annual paid leave and also extend the maternity benefit payable to women workers for a minimum period of six months per child birth the bill also seeks to empower the central government to formulate welfare and insurance schemes relating to life and disability cover, health, maternity and old-age benefits for the welfare of the plantation workershence this billdecember 16, 2009 financial memorandumclause 2 of the bill seeks to empower the central government to formulate welfare and insurance schemes for the welfare of plantation labourers  covering life and disability insurance cover, maternity benefits and old-age benefits clause 4 provides for maternity allowance payable to women worker for a minimum period of six months per child birththe bill, therefore, if enacted, would involve expenditure from the consolidated fund of india it is likely to involve a recurring expenditure of rupees fifty crore per annumno non-recurring expenditure is likely to be involved———— a billfurther to amend the plantations labour act, 1951————(adv pt thomas, mp)gmgipmrnd—282ls(s-5)—24022010