1.12 lakh daily wage earners committed suicide in 2019-21

New Delhi: A total of 1.12 lakh daily wage earners committed suicide in three years -- 2019 to 2021, Union Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav said in Lok Sabha on Monday, quoting reports of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

Yadav said 66,912 housewives, 53,661 self-employed persons, 43,420 salaried persons and 43,385 unemployed persons also committed suicide during the period. As many as 35,950 students and 31,839 persons engaged in the farming sector such as cultivators and agricultural labourers also committed suicide in three years -- 2019, 2020 and 2021, he said during the Question Hour.

The minister said that according to the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008, the government is mandated to provide social security to workers in the unorganised sector, including daily wage workers, by formulating suitable welfare schemes on matters relating to life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old age protection, and any other benefit as may be determined by the central government.

The life and disability cover is provided through the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), he said.

The PMJJBY is available to the people in the age group of 18 to 50 years having a bank or post office account who give their consent to join or enable auto debit, the minister said. Risk coverage under this scheme is for Rs 2 lakh in case of death of the insured, due to any reason, at an annual premium of Rs 436 which is to be auto debited from the subscriber's account, Yadav said. As on December 31, 2022, 14.82 crore beneficiaries have been enrolled under the scheme, he said.