By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: After the approval of the Union Cabinet’s extension of the RSBY to registered domestic workers in the age group 18-59 years, the domestic workers in the State are demanding for their inclusion as the beneficiaries in the health insurance scheme – Rashtriya Swasthiya Bima Yojana (RSBY).
The domestic workers under the aegis of the North Eastern Regional Domestic Workers Movement (NERDWM) – Meghalaya Region has made this demand from the state government at a function to observe the International Domestic Workers’ Day at the Don Bosco Youth Centre here on Monday.
It may be mentioned that the RSBY envisages smart card based cashless health insurance cover of up to Rs 30,000 under empanelled hospitals in a year.
According to the Union Cabinet, the funds for the scheme would be allocated from the National Social Security Fund for Unorganised Workers.
The premium is to be shared by the Central and state governments in the ratio on 75:25. In case of the Northeast and Jammu & Kashmir, the ratio will be 90:10.
There are over 4,000 domestic workers who have registered themselves with the NERDWM since its inception in 2003. Earlier, the government had extended the RSBY to workers involved in construction works in the state.
Apart from demanding the implementation of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention on decent work for domestic workers, the workers also asked the Centre to bring them under the ambit of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment in Workplaces Bill, 2010.
Speaking on the occasion, Meghalaya State Law Commission Fenela L Nonglait said that said the domestic workers could not be brought under the bill as they are already “protected” under the Domestic Violence Act, 2005.
“Earlier, the domestic workers had been included in the bill, but since they are already under the protection of the clauses of the Domestic Violence Act, 2005, they were later removed from the purview of the bill” Nonglait said.
She said domestic workers can complain if they are under any physical, mental or even economic harassment while living under their employer’s homes.
She pointed out that the demand for the implementation of RSBY is truly justified as domestic workers also have the “right to live with dignity”.