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SHRI T. GOVINDAN : Sir, this is to invite the serious attention of the Minister of Labour towards the miserable condition and total unsatisfactory functioning of the beedi workers Welfare Fund Scheme. It was organised about 20 years back. Neither lakhs of beedi workers had benefited nor the institution itself.

In my Malabar area of Kerala having about three lakh people working in beedi industry, most of them are registered under the Welfare Fund Scheme. An Assistant Commissioner's Office functioning in Kannur is having only one U.D.C., one driver and two Class-IV staff. Almost all the posts are lying vacant. This is the main reason of not getting the benefits to the workers. The workers and their unions are demanding upgradation of this office as a regional office. Now, it is working under the Bangalore region. The Government has not conceded this demand so far. The housing loan and subsidy are not attractive. The long-standing demand of the workers are loan of Rs. 25,000/and subsidy of Rs. 10,000/-. Scholarship and health care facilities are also in poor manner. There are three hospitals in Kannur sector. All the three hospitals are insufficient to look after the beedi workers. So, the workers demand merger of the three into one and make the hospital with 25 beds.

I request the Government and the hon. Minister of Labour to consider these genuine demands of beedi workers immediately.