Section 1483 in Coal Mines Labour Welfare Fund (Repeal) Act, 1986
1483.
Object and Reason.- The Coal Mines Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1947 was enacted in the year 1947 when the coal mines were almost entirely in the private sector. It principally provides for the levy and collection of a duty of excise as a cess, on all despatches of coal and coke and for utilising the proceeds of the cess for the welfare of the labour employed in the coal mining industry by providing house, water supply, medical, educational. recreational and transport facilities. The proceeds of the cess constituted a Fund called the Coal Mines Labour Housing and General Welfare Fund which is apportioned under two separate accounts, namely, the housing account and the general welfare account. The Act also provide for the constitution of a Coal Mines Labour Housing Board to prepare and carry out schemes financed from the housing account and other works to be financed from the general welfare account of the Fund.2. Raising funds through a ccss for various measures of labour welfare under the Act was conceived when the coal mines were in the private sector and the private sector did not attach much importance to the welfare of miners.3. With the nationalisation of the coal industry in 1973, the context has materially changed and the coal companies in the public sector have assumed responsibility for looking after the welfare of their employees. It is, therefore, proposed to repeal the Coal Mines Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1947 and thereby to abolish the levy of cess under the Act. Consequent on such repeal, it is also proposed to dissolve the Housing Board established under section 6 of that Act. On such dissolution of the Housing Board, it is also proposed to vest all the assets, rights, liabilities, obligations, etc., of the Housing Board in the Central Government and further to empower the Central Government to vest such assets, rights, liabilities, obligations, etc., in a Government company.4. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objects. - Gazette of India, 15-4-1986, Pt. - II, Section 2, Ext., p. 4 (No. 15).[23rd May, 1986.]An Act to repeal the Coal Mines Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1947 and to provide for certain matters incidental thereto.BE it enacted by Parliament in the Thirty-seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows:-
