Members cutting across party lines urged the government in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday to increase compensation to workmen in case of death from the proposed Rs 1,40,000.

Participating in the debate on the Workmen's Compensation (Amendment) Bill, 2009, Arjun Ram Meghwal of the Bharatiya Janata Party said the proposal was to increase the compensation in case of death from the existing Rs 90,000 to Rs 1,40,000.

"But this is an unfair, inadequate compensation in case of death of a workman," Meghwal said. Sanjay Nirupam (Congress), supporting the demand of his BJP colleague, said the compensation in case of death of a workman was 'insufficient' and it needed to be doubled.

"In this age, this amount (Rs 1.4 lakh) is a pittance. It is a paltry sum. It needs to be doubled," he said.

Labour minister Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday introduced the bill to provide better compensation and amenities to the working class and to increase the amount given to workers for performing last rites to Rs 5,000.

The compensation given to workers would be now be based on the price index. In case of injury or death of a workman, compensation up to Rs 1.40 lakh would be paid and cases involving compensation settled within three months, as per the statement of objects of the amendment to the Act.

Shailendra Kumar of Samajwadi Party said the compensation suggested in the bill was less keeping in mind the inflation.

Kalyan Banerjee of Trinamool Congress said the provision to finalise any claim of compensation was not mandatory.

"The commissioner should be armed with penal provisions to fine companies which do not provide compensation within three months," he said.

He said nationalised insurance companies contest compensation claims in courts which a worker or his dependents find difficult to fight. Basudeb Acharia of Communist Party of India-Marxists observed that delay in providing compensation often forces family members of the deceased worker to accept a lower amount as an ad hoc settlement reached with the help of unions.

Prasanna Kumar Patasani of Biju Janata Dal lamented that a worker who puts in labour to construct infrastructure for the society often dies in penury.

He said while pet animals of the rich consume food worth Rs 200 every day, daily workers get half that amount after a day's hard work. He demanded that the amount of compensation suggested in the Bill be doubled.

Image: The Parliament House