Scheme of Death Benefit for Weavers and Artisans of West Bengal

GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL
Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Textiles
Shilpa Sadan (7th & 8th Floor), 4, Abanindranath Tagore Sarani, Kolkata-700016

No. 999/MSMET-18011(11)/12/2023 Dated: 07/03/2024

NOTIFICATION

WHEREAS West Bengal is known for its diverse range of handicrafts and handloom products with large number of men and women involved in handloom, handicrafts and traditional trades across the State;

WHEREAS most of the activities are household based and the weavers and artisans are playing a major role in improving the economy of the State;

NOW, THEREFORE, the Governor is pleased to sanction a new financial benefit scheme for the weavers and artisans of Bengal with a view to provide an instant financial support to the next of kin to the weavers/ artisan on their expiry before attaining 60 years of age.

1. Short Title:

This scheme will be called as “Scheme of Death Benefit for Weavers & Artisans of West Bengal”.

2. Objective:

Over the years, the Government of West Bengal has been taking different schemes of projects for the upliftment of the artisans & weavers. In most cases the concerned artisans/ weavers are the breadwinner for their respective families. Any untimely death of any such active weaver/ artisan naturally gives a huge financial jolt to the family. In order to provide some relief to the bereaved family in a time of distress, a death benefit scheme has been introduced for the family of the deceased weaver/ artisan which is akin to death benefit provided under other such schemes of the State Government. The name of this proposed death benefit scheme may be “Scheme of Death Benefit for the Weavers & Artisans of West Bengal”.

3. Commencement and duration:

The scheme will come into effect from the date of notification in the entire State of West Bengal and shall remain in force for a period of five years, if not withdrawn/ amended earlier by a Notification in the official Gazette.

4. Area of coverage:

The entire state of West Bengal – both rural and urban.

5. DEFINITIONS:

In this notification, unless the context otherwise requires,

a. “Artisan” means a worker with knowledge/ skill to produce things/crafts by hand or by toolkits/ small machines etc and the products have distinctive features and utility value. So, the term artisan includes handicrafts artisans as well as artisans engaged in traditional crafts/trades like Blacksmithy, Pottery, Carpentry, Masonry, Garland making (Malakar), Shoe making (Charmakar), Garments washing/ Washer-man (Dhobi), Boat making, Fishing, Net making, Broom making, Coir product making, Clay Doll making, Folk/Musical instrument making, Puppetry, Basketry, Locksmithy, Goldsmithy, hair-dressing (Barber) etc. with hand tools/equipment/ small machines

b. “Application” means an application for availing death benefit under the scheme on the Death of a weaver/ artisan

c. “Benefit” means death benefit under the scheme due to death of a weaver, or, artisan

d. “BDO” means the Block Development Officer of a Development Block in a district

e. “District Officer” means the General Manager-District Industries Centre (GM-DIC) of the concerned district

f. “Directorate” means Directorate of MSME and the Directorate of Textiles (Handloom etc)

g. “Form” means such form as may be prescribed, by the Government or any appropriate authority on its behalf

h. “Government” means the Government of West Bengal in the Department of MSME & Textiles

i. “GTA” means Gorkha Territorial Administration for Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts

j. “SDO” means Sub Divisional Officer of a sub-division of a district

k. “Weaver” means a person who weaves fabric using Handloom and/or Khadi Charka and also the person who assists a weaver to weave fabric on Handloom/ Khadi Charka

6. CONDITIONS FOR AVAILING OF BENEFIT

A person shall be entitled to get the benefit if the following conditions are fulfilled, namely,

(i) The age of the deceased artisan/ weaver was between 18 to 60 years on the date of death.

(ii) The artisan/weaver expired on or after the Date of Notification.

(iii) After expiry of the artisan/weaver, the claimant(s) of the benefit should produce a certificate from the local BDO regarding his eligibility of claim. (form to be drafted)

(iv) The claimant (s) will be eligible for only one death benefit extended by the State Government, i.e., the claimant/s will be at liberty to avail of the benefit either under this scheme or any other death benefit schemes of the State Government in operation (e.g., snake bite, lightening death etc. of any other department) as may be benefitted to him or her. He/she will have to attach a self-declaration certificate of this fact as per prescribed format.

(v) The date of birth recorded in any birth registration certificate/ Voter Identity Card (EPIC)/ Driving Licence/ Passport/ Aadhar Card/ PABN Card, or, any other Govt. approved photo identity proof having DoB will be considered for calculation of the age of the deceased.

7. AMOUNT OF BENEFIT:

The amount admissible as one time death benefit shall be Rs. 2 lakh only per deceased artisan/ weaver.

8. SUBMISSION AND RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS

i. Eligibility Date – The death of the artisan/ weaver on or after the date of notification

ii. Application for the benefit under this scheme should be in a prescribed Form No. 1 (to be drafted)

iii. The eligible claimant (s) for the deceased artisan/ weaver should submit the application in prescribed form in typed/ downloaded/ neatly hand written but strictly as per format with all requisite enclosures at the earliest to the local BDO of the concerned Block

iv. The application in Form 1 must be submitted within 3 months of the death of the artisan/ weaver

9. PROCEDURE TO BE ADOPTED ON RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS

i. On receipt of an application complete in all respect in rural area, the concerned BDO will cause an enquiry though an IDO (or, any Extension Officer in case no IDO is posted in that Block), by way of spot verification to ascertain genuineness of the claim and claimant(s).

ii. The enquiry must be completed within 15 working days from the date of receipt of the application.

iii. Similarly, in case of Municipality area, concerned SDO office will cause an enquiry through Executive Officer of the concerned Municipality. In case of Municipal Corporation area, the Commissioner may cause enquiry through any borough level officer as may be deemed fit.

iv. After confirmation, the office of the BDO/the office of the SDO/ the office of the Commissioner shall forward the applications to the concerned District Industry Centres under the MSME&T dept. The General Manger of the DIC concerned will in turn submit the same with his remarks to the Directorate of MSME in case of artisans and to the Directorate of Textiles (Handloom etc) in case of weavers, within 30 working days from the receipt of the application.

v. If found in order in all respect, the Directorates will send the cases to the MSME & Textiles Department for sanction of the death benefits.

10. SANCTION OF THE BENEFIT & DISBURSEMENT

i. On receiving the proposals from the concerned Directorate, the department will issue Sanction Order and allot fund in concurrence with Finance Department to the concerned Directorates.

ii. The concerned Directorate will draw bill and directly transfer benefit (DBT) to the claimant(s) through the Pay & Accounts Office.

iii. After sanction by the Department, a sanction list shall be uploaded in the official website of the concerned Directorates and the concerned district HQ and one copy to be displayed in the Notice Board of concerned offices of BDO/ SDO, or concerned Municipality Office or Municipal Corporation office as the case may be

iv. In case of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, the administrative department will release fund directly to the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) for drawing and disbursement. Sanctioned list will be displayed in the Notice Board of concerned DM’s Office and GTA office

11. MAINTENANCE OF REGISTER AND SUBMISSION OF REPORT

i. The respective GM-DIC & DOH shall maintain a complete block wise physical record of payment of the benefit in an appropriate register [as prescribed in next para (ii)]

ii. The register shall contain the name, address and age of the deceased artisan/weaver, date of death, number & date of order sanctioning the benefit, details of the payee(s), relations thereof with the deceased, amount of benefit sanctioned to each of the beneficiary and such other particulars as may be considered necessary.

iii. The GM-DIC/ DOH shall submit a report of status of benefit disbursal and fund utilization under the scheme, as per format (to be prescribed from time to time) on half yearly basis (once within 5th April and once within 5th October of each year) to the Directorates and the Directors in turn will submit the consolidated report to the Department of MSME & T within 10th of April and 15th of October.

iv. The Principal Secretary, Gorkha Territorial Administration, will similarly send an utilization certificate and requisition of fund to the Principal Secretary MSME & Textiles Department and the GM-DIC/DOH of Darjeeling & Kalimpoong will submit all other statutory reports and any other reports as asked for by the Directorates, or, any other appropriate authority.

12. The Directorate of MSME and Directorate of Textiles (Handloom) will arrange for wide publicity of the scheme among the artisans & weavers of West Bengal through all media.

13. This Notification is issued in concurrence with the Finance Department, vide, U.O. No. Group C/2023-2024/0067 Dated 5/1/2024 and with approval of the State Cabinet held on 6/3/2024

By order of the Governor,

RAJESH PANDEY
Principal Secretary to the
Government of West Bengal

No. 999-MSMET dated 07.03.2024, Source

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