Bamboo, Kattuvalli and Pandanus Leaf Workers’ Welfare Fund

(1) The Government may, by notification in the Gazette, frame a Scheme to be called “ the Kerala Bamboo, Kattuvalli and Pandanus Leaf Workers’ Welfare Fund Scheme” for the establishment of a Fund under this Act for the welfare of Bamboo, kattuvalli and pandanus leaf workers and self-employed persons the bamboo or kattuvalli or pandanus leaf industry, as the case may be, and there shall be established , as soon as amy be after the framing of the Scheme a Fund in accoradance with the provisions of this Act and the Scheme. (2) There shall be credited to the Fund,— (a) the contribution specified in section 4; (b) the amount borrowed by the Board under section 10; (c) damages realised under section 19; (d) grants or loans or advances made by the Government of India or the State Government or any institution; (e) any donation from whatever source; (f) any amount raised by the Board from other soueces to augment the resources of the Board; (g) fee levied under the Scheme; (h) any other amount which, under the provisions of the Scheme shall be credited to the Fund. (3) The Fund shall vest in, and be administered by, the Board constituted under section 6. (4) The Fund may be utilised for all or any of the following purposes, namely:— (a) for payment of pension— (i) to a member who is unable to work due to infirmity or completed the age of sixty years; and (ii) to a person, who, before the commencement of this ActAct was a baamboo worker or kattuvalli worker or pandanus worker or self-employed person for a period of not less than three years and completed the age of sixty years or who suffers from permanent ailment or permanent diablement and is out of employment; (b) for the payment of family pension subject to the conditions specified in the Scheme; (c) for payment of financial assistance to amember who suffers from permanent disablement to the family of a member who died in accident; (d) for payment of loans or grants to women members to meet the expenses in connection with their marriage or to a member to meet the expenses for the marriage of children or for the expenses in connection with the death of a member or of a dependant or for the expenses for construction or maintenance of a house or for the purchase of a hose site or land with building for residential purposes; (e) to providde for maternity benefits to women menmbers engaged in bamboo or kattuvalli or pandanus leaf industry; (f) to provide for the bamboo workers, kattuvalli workers, pandanus leaf workers and self-employed person who are having membership of not less than one year in the Fund and members of their families— (i) mediacla expenses subject to the conditions and limitations specified in the Scheme; (ii) educational favcilities including scholarships at high school level and for higher education; (g) for payment of gratuity to a member, who has not less than five years of continuous service as abamboo, kattuvalli or pandanus leaf worker, on his retirement or in the event of permanent disablement due to ailment; (h) for implementation of any other purpose specified in the Scheme. (5) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Scheme framed under sub-section (1) may provide for all or any of the matters specified in sub-section (4) and in the Schedule. (6) Every Scheme framed under sub-section (1) shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is framed, before the Legislative Assembly while it is in session for atotal period of fourteen days, which may be comprised in one session or in two sucessive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session in which it is so laid or the session immediately following, the Legislative Assembly makes any modification in the Scheme, the Scheme shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form; so, however, that any such modification shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previouly done under the Scheme.