 bill no  79 of  2011 the writers and artists' social security bill, 2011 by shrimati priya dutt, mp a billto provide for social security and welfare measures for writers and artists and for matters connected therewith or incidental theretobe  it enacted by parliament in the sixty-second year of the republic of india as follows:—1 (1) this act may be called the writers and artists' social security act, 2011 (2) it extends to the whole of indiashort title,extent andcommencement(3) it shall come into force on such date as the central government may, by notificationin the official gazette, appoint2 in this act, unless the context otherwise, requires,—definitions(a) "artist" means and includes a person who through his creative skill performsany activity concerned with the production, exhibition of imaginative designs, videos, sounds, actions or ideas and also includes a group of persons who exhibit their skills in unison to produce or exhibit such designs, videos, sounds, action or idea but does5 10not include a person who works under any state government or the central government or in any public sector undertaking under the control of a state government or the central government;(b) "board" means the national writers and artists' security advisory board constituted under section 4;(c) "fund" means the national writers and artists' welfare fund constituted under section 6;(d) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this act; and (e) "writer" means and includes a person who through his creative skill, knowledge or experience produces a literary work but does not include a person employed as a journalist or works under any state government or the central government or in any public sector undertaking under the control of a state government or the central government153 the central government may formulate, from time to time, suitable welfare schemes for writers and artists on the matters relating to—(a) insurance covering life and disability; (b) health and maternity benefits;framing of welfare schemes for writers and artists by the central government(c) provident fund; and (d) old age protection204 (1) the central government shall, by notification in the official gazette, constitute a board to be known as the writers and artists' social security advisory board to exercise the powers conferred upon, and to perform the functions assigned to it, under this act(2) the board shall consist of the following, namely:—(a) a chairperson to be appointed by the central government;constitution of the national writers and artists' social security advisory board25(b) two eminent writers to be nominated by the central government; (c) two eminent artists to be nominated by the central government; and (d) the secretary to the government of india in-charge of the ministry of culture shall be the ex-officio member-secretary to the board30(3) the salary and allowances payable to and other terms and conditions of service of the chairperson and members of the board shall be such as may be prescribedfunctions of the board35 40(4) the central government shall make available to the board such number of officers and staff as may be required for efficient functioning of the board5 the board shall perform the following functions:—(a) making recommendations to the central government to formulate and implement suitable schemes for the welfare of writers and artists;(b) advising the central government on such matters  arising out of the administration of this act as may be referred to it;(c) advising the central government regarding administration of the fund; and (d) undertake such other functions as may be assigned to it by the central government from time to time 6 the central government shall, by notification in the official gazette, establish a fund to the known as the writers and artists' welfare fundestablishment of national writers and artists' welfare fundcentral government to grant funds7 the central government may, after due appropriation made by parliament by law in this behalf, grant such sums of money to the fund as the central government may think fit for being utilized for the purposes of this actutilization of fund8 the fund shall be utilized to provide financial assistance to the writers and artists for the following purposes:—(a) compensation in case of death or accident; (b) old age pension; (c) disability assistance;5(d) free health care facility to the writers and artists and their family members; and (e) subsidized housing facilitiesact to have overriding effect9 the provisions of this act and the rules made thereunder shall have effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any other law for the time being in force10power to make rules10 (1) the central government may, by notification in the official gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this act1520(2) every rule made under this act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each house of parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both houses agree in making any modification in the rule or both the houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule statement of objects and reasonsindia is a welfare state and it is the duty of the state to ensure that all sections of the society are covered by a state sponsored social security network on account  of their unorganized nature of profession, writers and artists do not get adequate social security there is practically no welfare scheme for their benefit there is an urgent need to enact a legislation to provide for social security and welfare of the writers and artists so that they can live a life of comfort and dignitythe present bill, inter alia, provides for:—(a) empowering the central government to formulate welfare schemes for the writers and artists;(b) constitution of a board to be known as the writers and artists' social security advisory board to recommend the government to formulate and implement suitable schemes for welfare of writers and artists;(c)  constitution of a welfare fund to be known as national writers and artists' welfare fund;in order to provide social security to the writers and artists in the country hence this billnew delhi;priya  duttaugust 9, 2011 financial memorandumclause 4 provides for constitution of the national writers and artists' social security advisory board clause 6 provides for setting up of a fund to be known as a national writers and artists' welfare fund by the central government clause 7 provides for supply of fund by the central governmentthe bill, therefore, if enacted, will involve expenditure from the consolidated fund of india at this stage, it is difficult to give an exact estimate of expenditure likely to be involved as the exact   amount of expenditure likely to be involved will depend upon the number of schemes formulated by the government however, it is estimated that an annual recurring expenditure of about rupees five hundred crore is likely to be involved from the consolidated fund of indiaa non-recurring expenditure of rupees two hundred crore is also likely to be involved memorandum  regarding  delegated  legislationclause 10 of the bill empowers the central government to make rules for carrying out the purposes of the act since the rules will related to matters of detail only, the delegation of legislative power is of a normal character————abillto provide for social security and welfare measures for writers and artists and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto————(shrimati priya dutt, mp)