Comparative Study of Labor Welfare Schemes of Haryana Labor Welfare Board and Kerala Labor Welfare Fund Board OPEN ACCESS

In India, only 15 states and 1 union territory out of 28 states and 8 union territories had maintained Labor welfare funds including Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal. The starting of labor welfare activities can be seen with the passing of the first Indian Factories Act in 1881 aimed to improve the working conditions of labors.The objectivesof the study are to identify the different welfare schemes offered by the Kerala Labour Welfare Fund Board and the Haryana Labour Welfare board andtheir comparative study. Descriptive research designand secondary datais used to conduct the study. The data analysis is done and depicted in the form of tables, columns, and charts. The study concluded that the average amount disbursed per worker by Kerala Labour Welfare Fund board ranges from Rs.284 to Rs.325 whereas the similar by Haryana Labour Welfare Board ranges from Rs.8,276 to Rs. 14,081 in the last five years from 2016 to July 2021. That’s why, by some means, HLWB is more effective than the KLWB on the grounds of reaching more no. of beneficiary workers,the average amount disbursed per worker, and areas of welfare schemes.


Introduction
In India, labor welfare programs developed through humanitarian, religious pioneers, social workers, and deliberate associations. With the inception of the industrial revolution, large-scale industries were set up in large urban communities.The starting of labor welfare activities can be seen with the passing of the first Indian Factories Act in 1881 aimed to improve the working conditions of laborers.
Welfare is an indispensable part of social welfare.Both social and economic contents are involved in the scope of welfare activities. Social, financial, health and recreational necessities of all in society are covered within the range of social welfare. And, the object of economic welfare is to promote economic developments by increasing production and productivity and through equitable distribution.
The term welfare brings in many ideas, aiming to state wellbeing, healthiness, happiness, prosperity, and therefore the development of human resources. The concept of welfare coversthe physical, mental, moral, and emotional wellbeing of an individual making it a total concept.

Concept and Definition of Labor Welfare
The concept of labor welfare might be seen as a total concept, as a social concept, and as a relative concept. The total concept is a desired state of existence involving physical, mental, moral, and emotional well-being. Its broad perspective and contents are susceptible to change, depending on socio-economic changes that occur in society.
There are some important principles of welfare which are-principle of adequacy of wages, principle of social responsibility, principles of efficiency, principle of re-personalization, principle of totality of welfare, principle of co-ordination, principle of democratic values, principles of responsibility, principle of accountability, principle of timeliness and principle of self-help.
Arthur James Todd defines welfare work as "anything done for the comfort and improvement, intellectual and social, of the employees over and above the wages paid, which is not a necessity of the industry."

Labor Welfare Fund Act, 1953
A labor welfare fund is a legislative contribution managed by individual state authorities. The state labor welfare board fixes the amount and frequency of the contribution. Every state has its rate of contribution and periodicity of remittance. The labor welfare fund applies to Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh,Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat,Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and West Bengal.

Kerala Labor Welfare Fund Board
Kerala Labor Welfare Fund Board is a statutory body constituted under the Kerala Labor Welfare Fund Act, 1975 that started working on 1st May 1977 to constitute a Fund for promoting the welfare of labor. The board collects contributions from the workers and employers of the establishments and other statutory revenues. It appliesto all or any factories covered under the Factories Act 1948, Plantations covered under the Plantation Labor Act 1951, and establishments as defined in section 2(f)(v) of the Kerala Labor Welfare Fund Act 1975. The board offers various benefits to its workers who are contributing to the present fund.
Contribution to the fund-Labor contributes Rs. 4 for the half-year and the employer contributes Rs. 8 for the half-year to the fund.Every employer should pay to the Fund both the employer's contribution and labors' contribution before the 15th day of July and 15th day of January of each year.

Haryana Labor Welfare Board
The Punjab Labor Welfare Fund Act, 1965 governs the constitution of the board by the Haryana government for the financing of activities to promote the welfare of labors and for conducting such activities. The revenue sources of the board are as follows:a) Employee's and employer's contribution -Employee's and employer'sworking in the Industrial and Commercial Establishments of Haryana Staterate of contribution as under: -  The revenue receipt is invested by the board in fixed deposits on higher rates.

Literature Review
Nanda and Panda (2013) analyzed that implementing the welfare measureswithin the Rourkela Steel Plant created an efficient working environment and thus improved productivity. The various kinds of welfare schemes like medical allowance, death relief fund, insurance, housing, transport, recreation club facilities were provided to the workers to maintain better industrial relations. Patro (2015) conducted a comparative analysis of welfare measures in public and private companies and found that welfare facilities play a crucial role in the cordial employee-employer relationship. These welfare facilities improve the employees' morale and loyalty towards the management thus enhancing their satisfaction and performance. Rao et al. (2015) highlighted the significance of welfare facilities and their impact on workers' performance. The researcher collected data from 240 workers regarding the effectiveness of housing facilities, education benefits, medical facilities, retirement benefits, work environment, canteen facilities, retention policies, recreation facilities, grievance handling, transport facilities, drinking and sanitary facilities through a questionnaire survey and analyzed with descriptive analysis and chi-square test. The study concluded that welfare facilities provided had a positive impact on workers.

Research Methodology
The descriptive research design is used to conduct the study and secondary datais collected from different govt. website. The data is collected regarding annual expenditures on welfare schemes for the labors and the no. of beneficiaries in the last five years.The data analysis is done and depicted in form of tables, columns, and charts.

Analysis
Labor welfare schemes implemented by the Kerala Labor Welfare Fund Board and Haryana Labor Welfare Board are as follows:- children of workers. The students from class 8th to 10th will get Rs.600 each as financial assistance based on their merit. The grant will be awarded to 3945 students every year. • Cash Award (SSLC, CBSE, ICSE, ISE) -25 cash awards are distributed in each district.
Those who obtained 'A+' grades for all subjects awarded Rs. 1000 each and those who have not obtained an 'A+' grade for all subjects awarded Rs. 600each while considering the number of 'A+' grades they have obtained. Two cash awards are provided to a boy and a girl who have secured the highest marks in the SC/ST category. • Higher Education Grant -The grant of Rs.800 to Rs.3600 is provided to students studying from 11th class to Post Graduation.Application for this grant must be submitted within the first year of every course.Students who receive the first-year grant will get the grant renewed every year till the completion of the course. Though it meant basically for workers, is opened to the public also. the govt. has fixed the rates of rooms. The schemes offered to labors under the Haryana labor welfare board are as follows: • Financial Assistance for Uniform, Books, and Copies from Class 1st to 12th for Worker's Children -Financial assistance of Rs. 3000 on the continuation of studies from 1st to 4th class and financial assistance of Rs. 4000 on the continuation of studies from 5th to 12th class. The benefit of this scheme is available to only three girls & two boys of the workers whose monthly salary is not more than Rs. 25,000 along with the minimum service period of two years. • Scholarship Scheme for Worker's Children -Financial assistance of Rs. 5,000 to Rs.16,000 to worker's children. The benefit of this scheme is available to three girlsand two boys of the workers whose monthly salary is not more than Rs. 25,000 along with a minimum service period of one year.

• Financial Assistance for Encouraging Worker's Children to Participate in Sports
Activities -Financial Assistance of Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 31,000 for encouraging worker's children to participate in sports activities. The worker's monthly income should not be more than Rs. 25,000.

• Financial Assistance for Encouraging Worker's Children to Participate in Cultural
Activities -Financial assistance of Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 31,000 for developing sports talent of children of workers. The monthly salary of the workers should not be more than Rs. 25,000. • Sewing Machine Scheme -Financial assistance of Rs. 3500 for purchasing a sewing machine for female workers. The worker will get the benefit after every five years in the whole service period. The monthly income of the labor should not be more than Rs. 18,000/-along with the minimum service period of two years. • Spectacle Scheme -Financial support of Rs. 1,500 for purchasing spectacle to the worker.This benefit can be availed after every five years in the whole service period. The monthly salary of the workers should not be more than Rs. 25,000along with the minimum service period of one year. • LTC (Leave Travel Concession) Scheme -Financial support of Rs. 1,500 as LTC once in a block of four years. The monthly income of the workers should not be more than Rs. 18,000/along with the minimum service period of five years. • Financial Assistance for Women Workers or Wives of Male Workers for Maternity -Financial assistance of Rs. 10,000. The benefit of this scheme is available for the birth of three girls or two boys. The monthly salary of the workers should not be more than Rs. 25,000 and a service period of at least one year. Under this scheme, the application will have to be given within one year from the date of birth of the child. • Chief Minister Labor Social Security Scheme -Financial assistance of Rs. 5,00,000 is given to the family of a deceased worker. The application is to be submitted within two years from the date of death of the worker. • Assistance to Dependents of Deceased Worker -Financial assistance of Rs. 2,00,000 to dependents in case of death of a worker due to any reason. • Assistance for Funeral Expenses -Financial Assistance of Rs. 20,000 to the dependents for funeral expenses in case of death of a worker. • Dental Care Scheme -Financial assistance of Rs. 4000 for dental care of workers and Rs.
10,000 for full denture is provided to workers and their dependents. The worker's monthly income should not be more than Rs. 25,000. The service period of the workers is fixed for one year.
• Bicycle Scheme -Financial assistance of Rs. 3000 for purchasing a bicycle. The worker will get the benefit after every five years in the whole service period.The worker's monthly income must be less than or equal to Rs. 18,000 and the service period is fixed for two years. • Disability (due to Accident or Other Reason) Scheme -Financial assistance of Rs. 1,00,000 on minor disability (up to 50% injury) and Rs. 1,50,000 on major disability (above 50% injury). The monthly salary of workers not exceeding Rs. 25,000. • Financial Assistance to workers with a visually, physically, or mentally disabled child -Financial assistance of Rs. 20,000/-for 70% to 90% disability and Rs. 30,000/-for 91% to 100% disability of child of workers. • Assistance for artificial limbs -Financial assistance up to the rates fixed by Saket hospital, Panchkula for artificial limbs to workers and their dependents. • Financial Assistance of Try Cycle to workers and their dependents -Financial assistance of Rs. 7000/-for purchasing a try cycle. The worker will get the benefit after every five years in the whole service period. The monthly salary of the workers is not more than Rs. 25,000 and the service period is fixed for one year. • Financial Assistance of Hearing Machine/Hearing Aid to workers and their dependents -Financial assistance of Rs. 5,000to purchase a hearing machine for workers and their dependents. The worker's monthly income should not be more than Rs. 25,000 and the service period is fixed for one year. • Financial Assistance in marriage of the unmarried workers and their son -Financial assistance of Rs. 21,000 to the son of workers and unmarried workers on their marriage. The worker's monthly income should not be more than Rs. 25,000 and the service period is fixed three years. • Financial Assistance in marriage of women workers or their daughters -Financial assistance of Rs. 51,000 in the marriage of women workers or daughters of workers. The benefit of this scheme is available to self-female workers and three girls of the workers. The monthly income should not be more than Rs. 25,000. The registered worker must have a minimum of three years of regular membership till the marriage date. • Mukhyamantri Shram Puruskar Yojana-Under this award of Rs. 20,000 to 1,00,000 is given to those workers of the state working in industrial and commercial institutions of the state of Haryana, who make a remarkable contribution towards high efficiency, discipline, and fulfillment of social responsibilities.These awards are given to men as well as women workers.

Conclusion
The study found that the amount given by HLWB to the beneficiary workers' children for their school-level education exceeds the KLWFB, further, the scholarship amount given by HLWB for workers' children for higher education also exceeds the KLWFB. In addition, KLWFB provides financial assistance for I.T.I training, computer training, and medical entrance coaching and HLWB provides financial assistance for encouraging workers' children's participation in Sports activities and Cultural activities. The HLWB provides a marriage benefit of Rs. 51,000 to workers' daughters whereas KLWB provides a marriage benefit of Rs. 7,500 and HLWB provide marriage benefits even to unmarried workers and their son of Rs. 21,000. The maternity benefit given by HLWB to workers' wives is double that of the KLWFB. The HLWB offers some new schemes like-Bicycle scheme, Dental care scheme, Sewing machine scheme, and Spectacle scheme. The HLWB offers an amount of Rs. 2,00,000 in case of death of a worker at workplace whereas KLWFB offers only Rs. 5,000. Further, HLWB offers an amount of Rs. 20,000 as assistance for the cremation to deceased worker's dependents whereas KLWFB offers Rs. 2,000. The average amount disbursed per worker by KLWFB ranges from Rs.284 to Rs.325 whereas the same by HLWFB ranges from Rs.8,276 to Rs. 14,081 in the last five years from 2016 to July 2021. Also, the no. of beneficiary workers under HLWB exceeds the no. of beneficiary workers under KLWFB. That's why it can be concluded that in some way HLWB is more effective than the KLWB on the grounds of reaching more no. of beneficiary workers,the average amount disbursed per worker, and areas of welfare schemes.