AUG 22: The Rajya Sabha today passed a bill to amend the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923, to enhance minimum compensation in case of death or permanent disability to a workman and bring all casual workers under its ambit.The Workmen's Compensation (Amendment) Bill, 2000, also seeks to increase the minimum amount of compensation for death from Rs 50,000 to Rs 80,000 and for permanent total disability from Rs 60,000 to Rs 90,000.The orginal 1923 Act applied to only railway employees and those working in certain hazardous jobs and provided for payment of compensation to workmen or their dependents in case of death or disability due to injury in an accident or certain occupational diseases.Replying to a brief discussion on the bill in the House, Labour Minister Satya Narayan Jatiya said government was making its best efforts to update all the labour legislations.Jatiya said it has been debated in the ministry what changes have to be incorporated in various acts to make the bill more effective.Participating in the discussion, members cutting across party affiliations, welcomed the amendment to the Act but said more drastic measures needed to be taken to meet today's requirement.Ranganath Misra (Cong) suggested that the compensation in case of death should be enhanced to a minimum of Rs. one lakh and in the event of permanent disability to Rs. 1.25 lakh.
