Review of Maternity Protection: Case of Beedi Workers and ESIC Efficacy in Odisha

Abstract

Objective: This article analyses existing status of maternal health, various policies and programmes of Government. It tries to assess maternal health with respect to Beedi Workers in the remote part of Odisha. Involvement and contribution of women worker in the informal economy have been analyzed in terms of efficacy, actual availability of maternity protection to workers, take-up rates and actual outlays. However; existing maternity protection services and social security measures highlights the policy, rules and procedural knowledge gaps, resultant lessons, similarities and differences in best practice among the various schemes. Hence suggested recommendations may be helpful to reconsider the future course of action in terms of legislative and operational improvements for the betterment of women at large scale.

Methodology: The study is carries out an exploratory methods through structured questionnaire, key informant interviews at the district administration level as well as concern individuals working in the respective areas at the ground level, Field observation and views of social activists has also been considered to add socio-economic values.

Originality and Contribution: This article enhances our understanding of maternal health in the lowest economic rung of the society and finds that, quicker results could be achieved in terms of improvement, if such lowest rung of women workers are cared for by Govt. policies and implementation.

Keywords: Gender Women Health Odisha ESIC Worker