Skip to main content

Govt of India 'hugely underutilising' funds meant for major working class schemes

By Bharat Dogra* 

Fund utilization data for the first ten and a half months of the financial year 2022-23 show that several important welfare schemes of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, were lagging far behind expectations due to poor utilization of funds. This data is available up to 13 February 2023.
For Labour Welfare Scheme the Budget Estimate (BE) or original allocation in 2022-23 was Rs 120 crore but the actual expenditure up to 13 February was only Rs 36 crore. The allocation for 2023-24 at Rs 75 crore is also less than the previous year.
In the case of the National Data Base of Unorganized Sector Workers, the BE for 2022-23 was Rs 500 crore but only 120 crore was utilized. The BE for 2023-24 at Rs 300 crore is also lower than the previous year.
An important scheme called Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana was allocated a sum of Rs 6,400 crore but actual expenditure up to 13 February 2023 was only Rs 4,188 crore while the allocation for 2023-24 is very low at Rs 2,272 crore.
In the case of an important social security scheme called Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Man Dhan Yojana Rs 350 crore was allocated but the actual expenditure in the first 10 months was only Rs 93 crore.
A sum of only Rs 10 crore was allocated for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labor but the spending was lower still at Rs 4.8 crore.
There is need for much more work to be taken up aimed at reducing occupational health problems
For the National Pension Scheme for Self-Employed Persons and Shopkeepers a sum of Rs 50 crore was allocated but just a token sum of Rs 2 lakh was spent. In the next year 2023-24 also there is an allocation for only Rs 3 crore.
This shows that due to under-utilization several important schemes for the working class have been adversely affected. Remedial action should be taken in the very near future in this context.
The Ministry of Labor and Employment is one of the most important ministries of India with very important responsibilities. Its resource allocation should also be much higher as important new initiatives also have to be taken. 
To give just one example there is need for much more work to be taken up aimed at reducing occupational health problems including occupational diseases and accidents which have been a source of immense distress for a very large number of workers. There are new challenges for many sections of workers who will be more vulnerable to climate change and global warming.
Keeping in view these and other factors there is a clear need for higher resource allocation and improved utilization.
---
*Honorary convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include ‘Protecting Earth for Children’ and ‘Man over Machine (Gandhiji’s Legacy)’. Data source: 41st report (2022-23), 17th Lok Sabha, of the Standing Parliamentary Committee on Labor, Textiles and Skills Development (report for the Ministry of Labor and Employment)

Comments

TRENDING

'Draconian' Kerala health law follows WHO diktat: Govt readies to take harsh measures

By Dr Maya Valecha*  The Governor of Kerala has signed the Kerala Public Health Bill, which essentially reverses the people’s campaign in healthcare services in Kerala for decentralisation. The campaign had led to relinquishing of state powers in 1996, resulting in improvement of health parameters in Kerala. Instead, now, enforcement of law through the exercise of power, fines, etc., and the implementation of protocol during the pandemic, are considered of prime importance.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Bihar rural women entrepreneurs witness 50% surge in awareness about renewal energy

By Mignonne Dsouza*  An endline survey conducted under the Bolega Bihar initiative revealed a significant increase in awareness of renewable energy among women, rising from 25% to 76% in Nalanda and Gaya. Renu Kumari, a 34-year-old entrepreneur from Nalanda, Bihar, operates a village eatery that serves as the primary source of income for her family, including her husband and five children. However, a significant portion of her profits was being directed toward covering monthly electricity expenses that usually reach Rs 2,000. 

Work with Rajasthan's camel herders: German scientist wins World Cookbook Award 2023

By Rosamma Thomas*  Gourmand World Cookbook Awards are the only awards for international food culture. This year, German scientist  Ilse Kohler Rollefson , founder of Camel Charisma, the first of India’s camel dairies, in Pali district of Rajasthan, won the award for her work with camel herders in Rajasthan, and for preparing for the UN International Year of Camelids, 2024. 

Reject WHO's 'draconian' amendments on pandemic: Citizens to Union Health Minister

By Our Representative  Several concerned Indian citizens have written to the Union Health Minister to reject amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted during the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA75) in May 2022, apprehending this will make the signatories surrender their autonomy to the “unelected, unaccountable and the whimsical WHO in case of any future ‘pandemics’.”

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Golwalkar's views on tricolour, martyrs, minorities, caste as per RSS archives

By Shamsul Islam*  First time in the history of independent India, the in-charge minister of the Cultural Ministry in the current Modi government, Prahlad Singh Patel, has glorified MS Golwalkar, second supremo of the RSS and the most prominent ideologue of the RSS till date, on his birth anniversary, February 19. In a tweet he wrote : “Remembering a great thinker, scholar, and remarkable leader #MSGolwalkar on his birth anniversary. His thoughts will remain a source of inspiration & continue to guide generations.”

Why is electricity tariff going up in India? Who is the beneficiary? A random reflection

By Thomas Franco*  Union Ministry of Power has used its power under Section 11 of the Electricity Act, 2003 to force States to import coal which has led to an increase in the cost of electricity production and every consumer is paying a higher tariff. In India, almost everybody from farmers to MSMEs are consumers of electricity.

Deplorable, influential sections 'still believe' burning coal is essential indefinitely

By Shankar Sharma*  Some of the recent developments in the power sector, as some  recent news items show, should be of massive relevance/ interest to our policy makers in India. Assuming that our authorities are officially mandated/ committed to maintain a holistic approach to the overall welfare of all sections of our society, including the flora, fauna and general environment, these developments/ experiences from different parts of the globe should be clear pointers to the sustainable energy pathways for our people.

Environmental cost of Green Revolution: India world’s second-highest fertilizer importer

By Glenn Davis Stone*  Feeding a growing world population has been a serious concern for decades, but today there are new causes for alarm. Floods, heat waves and other weather extremes are making agriculture increasingly precarious, especially in the Global South .