Thane: Rally to address maid-servants problems

Thane, Nov 29: A rally to highlight the demands of lakhs of maid-servants in Maharashtra, who were demanding an Act to help them better their lives, will be organised here tomorrow.

Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil is expected to participate in the rally.

President of Maharashtra Rajya Molkarin Sangh, Comrade M A Patil, told mediapersons yesterday the draft of legislation to provide them security and benefits was ready and under discussion.

Comrade Patil said the various demands of the domestic helps include old age pension, allotment of yellow cards with reference to BPL, weekly-off and 21-day paid leave each year.

The other demands include bonus equivalent to one-month salary during Diwali, accident insurance and free medical treatment. The additional demand relates to setting up of a board on the lines of the Mathadi Kamgar and also fixing of minimum wages for them.

Providing them the benefits under the Indira Gharkul Scheme was also included in their demand.

Earlier, only those from lower castes were engaged in household work, but now those from well-to-do families and the so called 'Sawarnas' (upper caste people) also taking up it as a profession due to financial compulsions and present socio-economic condition, comrade Patil said.

They work as attendants to children, old and sick people apart from other household work. Hence, the definition of maid-servants has undergone a sea change, he said.

According to a conservative estimate, there were around five lakh maid-servants in Mumbai alone and around 25,000 in Thane, he said.

Once the board comes up a maid-servant will have to get registered himself/herself with the board to avail themselfes of the benefits under the social security schemes, he added.

Calling the pension scheme as the need of the hour, comrade Patil said the insurance and pension scheme should be funded by the government with contributions from the owner and the servant.

Former Mayor and NCP city president Ashok Raul was also present on the occasion.

UNI