266 CHAPTER XIV.
in existing conditions. But, after observing that they were “in entire
sympathy with the-ideals ” underlying sickness insurance legislation,
they added “They are satisfied that the need of Indian workers
for some provision is in no way less than the need of workers in other
countries, and the problem, as it presents itself to them, is one of
determining the extent to which the serious practical difficulties that must
attend the introduction of any scheme can be overcome”. The letter
containing these views was addressed to local Governments, who were
asked to investigate the question, the suggestion being made that the
examination might be entrusted to small informal committees of em-
ployers and employees. The results of the investigation which have
been supplied to us show that five committees were appointed. The
Madras committee was unable to suggest any satisfactory scheme and
favoured actual experiments. The United Provinces committee favour-
ed a scheme for a general provident fund to provide not merely for sick-
ness insurance but for unemployment, old age, marriages, funerals, religious
rites, festivities and other “ social events ”. The Punjab committee recom-
mended the application of a scheme of sickness insurance, but did not enter
into details. The majority of the Central Provinces committee were
emphatically of opinion that any scheme of compulsory insurance was
unworkable in practice. A conference held in Burma came to the con-
clusion that the immediate introduction of even a limited scheme was
impracticable. In replying to the Government of India, the Governments
of the provinces in which these investigations were held all stressed the
financial burdens involved in State assistance to any scheme. This
was also emphasised by the Governments of the other major provinces
except the Government of Bengal, who took no action in view of the
impending appointment of this Commission. Neither this consideration
of the question nor the further evidence supplied to us canbe said to
have brought a solution much nearer. There has been a tendency on
the one hand to overlook the difficulties and on the other to be content
with stressing them. That the difficulties in the way are formidable
must be recognised. The main difficulties include following the workers
bo their villages, arranging for proper medical treatment there, and
providing for medical certification, in order to enable workers to
obtain extended benefits should sickness continue. The lack of faith in
modern medical methods is still an important factor, and the admin-
istrative expenses likely to be incurred in working on a national
Or even a provincial scale a system of insurance based on Western
lines would probably be extremely heavy. But none of these arguments
diminish the need of the worker for provision during sickness.
Statistics of Sickness Incidence.

Unfortunately, the examination hitherto given to the subject
has not provided what must be regarded as an essential preliminary
to the framing of a satisfactory scheme. What is required is an estimate
of the incidence of sickness among workers whom the scheme is designed
to cover. Without this it is impossible even to guess at the cost of any
benefits which it is desired to provide or, conversely, the benefits which