Parliament Question: Welfare and Social Security Benefits of Contract Workers in Hazaribagh

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2443 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03RD AUGUST, 2026 WELFARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS OF CONTRACT WORKERS IN HAZARIBAGH 2443. SHRI MANISH JAISWAL: Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has conducted any assessment of employment generation and the working conditions of contract workers engaged in coal mining, coal transportation and allied industries in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand; (b) the details of total number of registered workers under the e-Shram portal and those covered under Employees' State Insurance (ESI) and Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) in Hazaribagh during the last three years and the current year, year-wise; (c) whether the Government has received complaints regarding non-payment of minimum wages, lack of social security benefits, unsafe working conditions and violation of labour laws by contractors operating in the district and if so, the details thereof along with the action taken thereon; and (d) the details of steps being taken by the Government to strengthen labour law enforcement, ensure occupational safety and health standards and enhance employment opportunities for local youth in Hazaribagh? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE) (a) to (d): Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, operates coal mining activities in Hazaribagh district through its Hazaribagh Area, comprising nine projects.Mining, overburden removal, coal extraction, crushing and transportation operations in these projects are carried out partly departmentally and partly through outsourcing agencies engaged under duly awarded work orders/contracts. As part of routine administrative oversight, the manpower deployed by such outsourcing agencies, along with the nature and scope of work awarded to them, is assessed and monitored on an ongoing basis. Working conditions of these workers, including safety, wages and statutory compliance, are subject to periodic inspection under the applicable Labour Codes, by the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) and the office of the Regional Labour Commissioner (Central) Ranchi. The number of contributing members covered under the EPFO in Hazaribagh district is as follows: Year Contributing Members 2023-24 21981 2024-25 28921 2025-26 31501 2026-27 (June, 2026) 25636 NOTE: Contributory Members means members with Universal Account Numbers (UANs) who have contributed at least once in each FY. Source: EPFO, MoLE The number of the Insured persons and Beneficiaries covered under the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) as on 31.3.2025 are 5,54,980 and 21,53.322, respectively, in the State of Jharkhand (including Hazaribagh). Further, ESIC has launched the Scheme to Promote Registration of Employers/Employees (SPREE, 2025) for the period from 1st July 2025 to 31st December, 2025, which was further extended for one month’s period up to 31st January, 2026. Under the Scheme, a total of 3,251 new employers and 1,24,010 new employees have been brought under ESIC coverage in the State of Jharkhand.The Ministry of Labour and Employment launched eShram portal (eshram.gov.in) on 26th August, 2021 for creation of a comprehensive National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW) including platform workers, migrant workers etc. The eShram portal registers the unorganised workers including gig and platform workers and provides them a Universal Account Number (UAN) on a self declaration basis. The workers registered in the eShram Portal in Hazaribagh since 2021 to 29.07.2026 is 5.95 lakh. The Central Government has enacted Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH&WC) Code, 2020, which comes into force on 21.11.2025 to regulate safety, health and working conditions of the persons employed in an establishment including mines and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The Central Government has also notified OSH & WC (Central) Rules 2026 on 08.05.2026. There are elaborate provisions pertaining to occupational safety, health, welfare, hazardous processes, penalties and procedure etc. under the OSH & WC Code 2020 and rules framed thereunder. The Occupier and Managers of the mines registered under the OSH & WC Code 2020 are required to comply with the provisions of the Code and rules framed thereunder. In case of violations of any of the provisions thereof, the Chief Inspector cum Facilitator/ Inspector cum Facilitator is empowered to initiate legal action against the occupier and manager of the mines. Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) conducts Risk Based and randomised inspection of the mines through Shram Suvidha Portal (SSP). Based on the observations made by the DGMS during the course of the inspections and findings, managements are suitably addressed for the compliance/rectifications of the contraventions and follow up is done. *****