GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL
LABOUR DEPARTMENT
LW/MW BRANCH
NEW SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, BLOCK-A, 12TH FLOOR
1, K. S. ROY ROAD, KOLKATA-700 001
No. LABR/124/(LC-LW/MW)/5M-2/2023 Kolkata, dated 16th May, 2023
NOTIFICATION
THE WEST BENGAL MIGRANT WORKERS’ WELFARE SCHEME, 2023.
WHEREAS the West Bengal Migrant Workers’ Welfare Board has been constituted vide Notification No. I/386749/2023/LABR-25017(14)/3/2023 Dated, Kolkata the 18th April, 2023.
And whereas it has been felt necessary to develop a scheme for promoting activities connected with the online registration, redressal of grievances, emergency assistance and welfare measures for MIGRANT WORKERS’ of West Bengal.
Now, therefore, the Governor is pleased hereby to make the following scheme for the Migrant Workers of West Bengal, who face different types of challenges in their course of employment which include death, accidental injury, medical emergency and other unwanted situations.
SCHEME
1. Short title, extent commencement:
(a) This Scheme may be called the West Bengal Migrant Workers’ Welfare Scheme, 2023 (hereinafter referred as Scheme).
(b) It extends to all the Migrant Workers from the State of West Bengal.
(c) It shall be deemed to have come into force with effect from 25th April, 2023.
2. In this Scheme, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject,
(a) ‘Board’ means the West Bengal Migrant Workers’ Welfare Board.
(b) ‘Beneficiary’ means a registered Migrant Worker.
(c) ‘Registering Authority’ means authorised Inspector, Minimum Wages under Labour Commissionerate, Labour Department.
(d) ‘Migrant Worker’ means a person of the age in between 18 to 60 years who is, by origin, a resident of West Bengal and employed in a remunerated activity in any State/ Union Territories in India other than West Bengal.
3. (a) Registration of the Migrant Worker:
A Migrant Worker of West Bengal, willing to get registered under the scheme shall apply in online mode for provisional registration either through portal or mobile app by providing personal details including AADHAAR, nominee details, and details of workplace.
Provided that after completion of the registration process a MWIN (Migrant Workers’ Identification Number) will be generated after approval of the registering authority (Inspector, Minimum Wages under Labour Commissionerate) on the basis of criteria as may be decided by the Board.
(b) Renewal of Registration as a beneficiary:
Migrant Worker, registered as beneficiary, will have to renew his/ her registration on yearly basis, through the portal.
(e) Cancellation of Registration:
In case of any misrepresentation of facts or furnishing false information by a Migrant Worker, the registration obtained, may subsequently be cancelled by the registering authority with the approval of the Board, without showing any reason and in such case, all his/ her claims under the scheme shall be revoked.
4. Welfare assistances provided under the Scheme:
(a) Death: Financial assistance will be provided to the nominee i.e., a person nominated by the registered Migrant Worker from his/ her family to receive assistance amounting to –
(i) Rs. 50,000/- (Rupees Fifty thousand) only, in case of normal death.
(ii) Rs. 2,00,000/- (Rupees two Lakh) only, for accidental death.
(b) Repatriation of dead body: If any registered Migrant Worker dies in course of employment outside the State of West Bengal, an assistance amounting to Rs. 25,000/- will be provided to the nominee of the worker for bringing the dead body to his/ her permanent address, if required.
(c) Cremation: In case, a registered Migrant Worker dies at his / her work place or the place he /she had to stay for the purpose of his / her job, an assistance amounting to Rs. 3,000/- will be provided to the nominee of the worker for cremation at the place, the worker was employed.
(d) Accidental disability: One-time assistance will be provided to the registered Migrant Worker in case of disability arising out of accidents during work.
(i) Rs. 50,000/- in case of 40% to 80 % disability of the worker;
(ii) Rs. 1,00,000/- in case of disability more than 80%;
Provided that the disability should be certified by any Government Hospital.
(e) Any other welfare assistance, as may be decided by the Board, from time to time, may be offered to any registered Migrant Worker, provided that such benefits will not absolve employers from their statutory obligation for providing similar benefit, if any, under any statute, for the time being, in force.
(f) No claim shall be admissible to the beneficiary if he/she is in receipt of any other financial assistance of similar nature from the Government of West Bengal.
5. Skill Development:
The Board shall arrange for skill mapping, identification of training need and conduction of skill development training for the migrant workers by designated agencies as may be deem fit.
6. Administration of Welfare Assistance:
All Assistant Labour Commissioners are authorised to verify, administer and sanction claims for assistance under this Scheme within their respective jurisdiction on the basis of criteria as decided by the Board.
7. Issuance of Guideline:
Guidelines for implementation of the Scheme will be issued by the Labour Department time to time.
8. Management of the Scheme:
The Scheme will be implemented and monitored by the Labour Department through Labour Commissionerate. This notification issues with the concurrence of the Finance Department vide their U.O. No. 0253(Gr-N) dated 24-04-2023.
By order of the Governor,
BARUN KUMAR RAY, IAS
Additional Chief Secretary to the
Government of West Bengal