Kerala Shops and commercial Establishment Workers' Welfare Fund

(1) The Government may, by notification in the Gazelle, frame a scheme to be called "the Kerala Shops and Commercial Establishments Workers' Welfare Fund Scheme" for the establishment of a Fund for the welfare of the workers coming under this Act and there shall be established, as soon as may be, after the framing of the scheme, a Fund in accordance with the provisions of this Act, and the Scheme. (2) These shall be credited to the Fund, namely:— (a) the contributions as per section 4; (b) amounts borrowed by the Board under section 10; (c) damages realised under section 20; (d) grants, loans or advances made by the Government of India or the State Government or any institution; (e) any donations from whatever source; (f) any amount raised by the Board from any other sources 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 to a member who is unable to work, for period of more than two years due to permanent physical infirmity, or has completed the age of sixty years and had remitted contribution to the Fund for at least ten years continuously or for payment of family pension, on the death of a member who had remitted contribution for at least fifteen years continuously; (b) for payment of maternity wages in such manner as may be provided in the scheme, to the female employees who have paid contribution to the Fund at least for a period of one year continuously and not coming within the purview of Employees State Insurance Scheme, for a period of twelve weeks, in the case of delivery and for a period of six weeks, in the case of premature delivery, abortion or medical termination of pregnancy as the case may be: Provided that no one shall be eligible for maternity wages beyond a maximum of two times; (c) for payment of financial assistance to meet the expenses in connection with the marriage of daughters or in connection with the death of dependants of members who had contributed to the Fund continuously at least for a period of three years; (d) for providing educational benefits and for payment of a sum equal to an amount of his wages towards medical benefit for a period not exceeding ninety days in a year, to members who have contributed to the fund continuously for one year and their family members subject to certain conditions as may be fixed by the Government in consultation with the Welfare Fund Board; (e) for the payment of assistance on the death of a member due to illness or accident who has paid contribution to the Fund continuously for a period of three years or more, at such rates as may be provided in the Scheme; Explanation:—Those who have contributed to the Fund continuously for a period of six months or more in a year shall be deemed to have continued as members till the completion of that year and according to this pension and financial assistance on death shall be computed. Service less than six months shall be ignored. (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 the schedule. (4) In the Kerala Shops and Commercial Establishments Workers' Welfare Fund Act, 2006 (24 of 2006), in sub-section (4) of section 3, after clause (f), the following clauses shall be inserted, namely:- (a) for payment of the amount remitted as employees contribution by a member who has made contribution to the Fund continuously at least for five years in Government or semi-Government institutions if such member has not availed any benefits from the Fund; (b) for payment of the amount remitted as contribution to the Fund to the dependants of a member who is not eligible for financial assistance on death. (1) The Government shall, by notification, constitute a Fund to be called the 'Kerala Shops and Commercial Establishments Workers' Welfare Fund'. (2) There shall be credited to the Fund: (a) contributions specified in section 5; (b) grants, loans or advances made by the Government; (c) any amount borrowed by the Board; (d) any voluntary donations; (e) any amount raised by the Board from other sources; (f) any profit or dividend received from investments; (g) any amount recovered under this Act; (h) any other amount which may be credited to the fund under the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder.