The State Government here by introduces following scheme to be
known as the Assisted Scheme for Unorganised Workers (Asanghatita
Shramik Sahayika Prakalpa) 2001.
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Coverage under the scheme :
Every willing worker subject to the
eligibility criteria mentioned hereinafter, employed in any
industry under unorganized sector and in any of the self-employed
occupations (list of which is mentioned in annexure ‘A’) will
be covered under the Scheme.
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Eligibility :
All wage employed and self-employed workers
between the age of 21 and 55 years in the unorganized sector in
the State of Tripura and having an average family income of not
more than Rs.3500/- per month are eligible to be covered under the
scheme. Initially one person a family the eligibility ceiling of
family income may be re-fixed by the State Government from time to
time.
The family for the purpose of the scheme will include the
beneficiary, his or her spouse, the wholly dependent daughters,
wholly dependent minor sons and wholly dependent parents.
The period for calculation of average family income will be 12
months prior to the month in which application is made.
The major source of income of the beneficiary and income of his
family members taken together should be from their work as wage
employed or self-employed workers in one or more employment or
occupations notified to be covered under the scheme.
Workers covered under the Employees’ Provident Fund and
Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 will not be eligible to be
covered under the scheme.
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Eligibility & Application : All eligible wage employed and
self-employed workers willing to join this scheme will apply to
the Labour Inspector of the concerned Block/Sub-Division for
enrolment in Form I annexed to this Rule along with three passport
size photographs duly attested, one of which to be affixed on the
application Form, by a Pradhan of the concerned Gram Panchayat/Chairman
of the Village Development Council, Chairman of Nagar Panchayat/
Municipal Council or by Member of the NagarPanchayat/ Commissioner
Municipal Council or by a member of the Panchayat Samity/Zilla
Parisad or the employer of the industry in which the workman is
employed who are authorized to certify the eligibility of the
applicant for enrolment under the scheme. The same person
certifying the eligibility of the applicant should attest three
copies of photographs attached to the application on the front.
The cost of the application form is Rupees one.
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Contribution : Each subscriber-worker will contribute a sum of
Rs.25/-per month. The State Government shall also contribute an
equal matching amount. The State Government/Bank annually at the
rate declared by the Government will also pay the interest on the
balance at credit of a subscriber.
Total contribution along with interest as may be declared from
time to time will be refunded to the workers on attainment of the
age of 55 years or in the event of the account becoming
inoperative due to death or permanent total disability due to
accident or loss of two eyes or two limbs or loss of one eye or
one limb in accident or prolonged default in making contribution.
The contribution made by the subscribers will be returned to
him/her after the expiry of lock-in-period of three years in case
of prolonged default in making contribution.
An account will be under prolonged default if monthly
contributions are not paid for six consecutive months.
An account under prolonged default will stand revived when
making adequate payments in one or more installment subject to a
maximum of six installments makes the contributions up-to-date.
In the event of death or permanent total disability due to
accident or loss of two eyes or two limbs or loss of one eye or
one limb in accident, the total amount (i.e. the worker’s own
contribution and matching contribution of Government along with
interest) will be paid to the nominee on receipt of an application
in Form VIII made by the nominee along with necessary certificate
enclosed with the Form.
In the event of attainment of 55 years of age or in the event
of account being inoperative due to discontinuance of subscription
by the worker, the total amount (i.e. the worker’s own
contribution and matching contribution of Government along with
interest) will be paid to the worker on receipt of an application
in Form IX to be made by the workers.
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Identity Card-cum-Passbook :
At the time of enrolment a worker
under the scheme will be issued an identity card-cum-passbook in
Form II under the signature of the authorized officer on deposit
of Rupees Five only.
The Labour Inspectors posted in the sub-division and Labour
Officers posted at the district of the Labour Department are
authorized to issue identity card-cum-pass-book.
The contribution will become due on and from the next month
following the month in which the identity card-cum-pass-book is
issued.
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Loans & Withdrawals from fund : The State Government may
prescribe provisions for loans and withdrawal from the fund as and
when deemed necessary.
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Collection & Accounting procedure : The Labour Inspector/Labour
Officer in consultation with the concerned Block Development
Officer will identify some places within the Block area for
collection of monthly subscription. The collection would be
made by the Labour Inspector or authorized official of the Labour
Department. The collecting agent will issue a printed receipt in
Form III to the subscriber against such collection in every month
and simultaneously return the pass-book in Form II to the
subscriber after making necessary entries duly signed and affixing
seal with designation in the form for such collection in the
pass-book against the particular month.
A bank account in the name of ‘Assisted Scheme for the
Unorganised Workers in Tripura’ will be opened.
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In each Block jointly by B.D.O. and Labour Inspector.
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In each Municipal area/Nagar Panchayat jointly by
Executive Officer and Labour Inspector.
The Labour Inspector who will be tagged to respective bank
branches after collecting the monthly subscription from the
subscriber workers will deposit the amount so collected to the
respective bank account within a fortnight but invariably within
the month in which subscriptions have been collected by using
triplicate copies of ‘Pay-in-Slips for such deposit. After such
deposit of the amount the collecting agent will submit a statement
of collection from subscriber in Form IV annexed to this Scheme
along with a duplicate copy of the ‘Pay-in-Slips’ to the
District Labour Officer. The District Labour Officer on receipt of
such statement and the duplicate receipt copy of
"Pay-in-Slips’ from different collecting agents will make
necessary entries in the general register in Form VI annexed to
this Scheme and also in the registers maintained subscriber-wise
in Form V annexed to this Scheme.
On the last working day of a month, every branch of the Bank
where such account has been opened shall issue a bank draft for
the entire amount of money deposited in the said bank account
during the month in favour of the account maintained to the
District Labour Officer and Labour Commissioner. The District
Labour Officer after receipt of the statement of collection along
with a duplicate receipt copy of ‘Pay-in-Slips’ will make a
compilation of statement of such collection subscriber-wise and
send a copy thereof along with a certificate that the amount
collected have been duly deposited with the bank to the Labour
Commissioner.
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Maintenance of records : The Labour Inspector will maintain
necessary register subscriber-wise and general registers showing
collection of subscription from the subscriber in Form V and Form
VI respectively.
The District Labour Officer will also maintain necessary
register and the individual ledger account in Form V annexed to
this Scheme and will also issue an account slip to the subscriber
in Form VII annexed to this Scheme.
All the District Labour officers posted in the District
Headquarters will submit a consolidated account of the
subscription collected along with total number of subscribers in a
particular month to the labour Commissioner within the first five
working days of the following month.
Labour Commissioner will submit an account of the total amount
of subscription and the total number of subscribers throughout the
State in a particular month indicating therein the District-wise,
Block wise, Municipal-wise and Nagar panchayat-wise break up
within the first fortnight of the following month to the Labour
Department.
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State Govt. Assistance for the Provident Fund Scheme &
Accounting Procedure : The Government contribution will be deemed
deposited in the account of the subscriber on the same day as the
contribution made by the subscriber. It will be of the same
amount.
Asanghatita
Shramik Sahayika Prakalpa, 2001 :