ABSTRACT
The Workmen's Compensation Scheme initiated in 1897 was found wanting in many respects by all who were concerned with its administration. The National Insurance Act provided a range of additional allowances to deal with such anomalies. There are no contribution conditions for entitlement to industrial injury benefits. The Act made provisions for four types of benefits: Injury benefit, Disablement benefit, Supplementary allowances and Death benefit. The same criterion would have placed the industrially disabled at a disadvantage after the National Insurance Act, 1946 had it not been for the use of the additional allowances. Injury Benefit is payable during the initial period of incapacity for work but up to a maximum period of six months, after which the injured person may be entitled to disablement benefit. In the case of pneumoconiosis and byssinosis disablement benefit is paid from the start because they develop so slowly that the normal period of injury benefit is net sufficient to determine their eventual outcome.
