Summary

On September 10th, 2007, the Indian Ministry of Labour and Employment introduced in Parliament a new draft version of the Unorganized Sector Workers' Social Security Bill, with the following main features:

• The objective is to cover in a phased manner and over a five-year period 60 million Below Poverty Line workers (and their families);
• The following main contingencies are to be covered: medical care, survivors' benefits, disability and old-age pensions;
• The responsibility to design appropriate health insurance schemes is transferred to the State Governments;
• National and State Advisory Boards are to be set up to recommend from time to time additional welfare measures and schemes.