Statement of Objects and Reasons.-Welfare measures to meet the needs of indigent cine-artistes are not available. Cine-artistes, like artistes in other performing arts, wither owing to changes in styles and trends and due to ageing. There are cases where artistes who have won great fame and recognition for their creative talents have fallen into utter poverty and distress. In order to provide assistance in cases of extreme hardship and for taking up related welfare measurers for the persons employed in the film industry, it is proposed to establish a Cine-Workers Welfare Fund. The duty of excise levied on feature films under the provisions of the Cine-Workers Welfare Cess Bill, 1981, after deducting the cost of collection, would be credited to the proposed Fund. Provision has also been made in the Bill for the making of grants to the Fund by the Central Government and for the receipt of donations to the Fund.

2. The Fund is intended to provide assistance to Cine-Workers in need and to take up welfare schemes for the benefit of such workers. The purposes for which money from the Fund can be spent, have been mentioned in clause 4 of the Bill. It is proposed to administer the, Fund in consultation with Advisory Committees which will be set up in the principal film production centres. Power is being taken by the Central Government to set up a Central Advisory Committee to co-ordinate the activities of the State Advisory Committees to ensure their effective functioning.

3. The Bill is intended to achieve the above objects.

Amendment Act 26 of 1987-Statement of Objects and Reasons.-The Cine-Workers Welfare Fund Act, 1981 is applicable to Cine-Workers as defined under the Act whose remuneration with respect to the type of employment referred to in the Act does not exceed, where such remuneration is by way of monthly wages, a sum of one thousand rupees per month, and where such remuneration is by way of lump sum, a sum of five thousand rupees. However, the ceiling on monthly wages under the Cine-Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1981 as well as under the welfare schemes framed under other Welfare Fund Acts is one thousand and six hundred rupees per month. It is, therefore, proposed to amend the Cine-Workers Welfare Fund Act suitably to bring about uniformity to the extent possible in this respect.

2. The purposes for which the Welfare Fund formed under the Act can be applied by the Central Government have been specified in section 4 of the Act. In view of the importance and urgency accorded by Government to family welfare and family planning programmes, it is proposed to specifically provide that the Fund can also be applied for family welfare schemes including planning, education and services.

3. According to the existing provisions in the Act, the Central Advisory Committee constituted under the Act consists of eleven members. In all the other Central Advisory Committees established under various Acts the principle of tripartism has been recognised and equal number of representatives of Government, employer and employees have been included in such Advisory Committees. With a view to bringing the provisions of the Cine-Workers Welfare Fund Act, 1981 in conformity with the said principle, the ceiling of eleven members provided in sub-section (2) of section 6 is sought to be suitably amended.

[17th September, 1981]

An Act to provide for the financing of activities to promote the welfare of certain Cine-Workers.

Be it enacted by Parliament in the Thirty-second Year of the Republic of India as follows:-

Brought into force on 1.11.1984 vide G.S.R. 721(E), dated 12.10.1984.