Coal workers welfare: Government plans new law for social security; 1948 Act set to be replaced – The Times of India

The government has initiated the process of overhauling the legal framework governing social security and pension benefits for coal workers, with the coal ministry proposing a new law to replace the 77-year-old Coal Mines Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1948.According to the ministry, the proposed Coal Mines Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, 2025 aims to ensure a more robust and accountable social security structure for coal sector employees, PTI reported. Once approved by Parliament, the legislation will modernise provisions related to industrial dispute resolution, working conditions, wage regulation, and digitalisation.The ministry has invited stakeholder comments on the draft bill, which also seeks to replace the existing Board of Trustees with a new Coal Mines Employees’ Provident Fund Board to improve governance and transparency.“The proposal seeks to undertake a comprehensive review and strengthen the provisions of the Act to ensure its effectiveness in meeting the present and future needs of the coal sector,” the ministry said.The current 1948 Act—administered by the coal ministry through the Coal Mines Provident Fund Organisation—provides for a Provident Fund Scheme, Family Pension Scheme, and Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme for coal mine workers.The ministry said the move is part of a broader exercise to review pre-constitutional laws and assess their relevance. “It has been considered necessary to take remedial actions, including repeal, re-enactment or consolidation of multiple central acts governing similar subject matter into a single, streamlined enactment,” it added.