Pneumoconiosis

News: Rajasthan has announced the creation of a Pneumoconiosis Fund.

Facts:

About Pneumoconiosis Fund:

• The fund will be majorly financed by money from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF). The fund will be operating Rajasthan’s Social Justice and Empowerment Department
• The fund will be used to finance a comprehensive policy on Pneumoconiosis, recently released by the Rajasthan government.

About Pneumoconiosis:

• Pneumoconiosis is the general term for a class of interstitial lung diseases (the tissue and space around the alveoli) where inhalation of dust has caused interstitial fibrosis.
• It is occupational health disease and mostly affects workers who work in the mining and construction sectors.
• Depending upon the type of dust, the disease is given different names:
  • Coal worker’s pneumoconiosis (also known as miner’s lung, black lung or anthracosis) — coal, carbon
  • Asbestosis — asbestos
  • Silicosis (also known as “grinder’s disease”) – silica dust.

Additional Information:

District Mineral Foundation (DMF):

• It is a trust set up as a non-profit body, in those districts affected by the mining works. It works for the interest and benefit of persons and areas affected by mining related operations.
• It is funded through the contributions from miners.
• Its manner of operation comes under the jurisdiction of the relevant State Government.
• Setting up of District Mineral Foundations (DMFs) in all districts in the country affected by mining related operations was mandated through the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Amendment Act, (MMDRA) 2015