Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
CHANDIGARH, FEBRUARY 24: The Punjab Government has spent Rs.52.95 crore on various welfare scheme launched by Welfare Department to uplift the construction workers. Disclosing this here, Punjab Labour Minister Mr. Chunni Lal Bhagat said that the Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board had already executed the welfare policies framed by the department for the year 2015 and the amount has already been disbursed. He said that 1,03,633 registered workers and their family members have been benefitted from different 17 schemes of the department, under which there is a special provision that if any registered worker died in accident then his family would get compensation of Rs.4 lakh and in case of natural death or 100% disability then Rs.3 lakh to be given to the family of registered construction worker as ex-gratia.
He further said that board has also started scholarship for the wards of registered workers, Shagan Scheme for registered workers’daughter, leave travel concession (LTC), and interest free loan to purchase bicycle, sewing machine, ceiling fan, television, computer and grain etc.
He said department had launched new “Self Certificate Scheme” to bring transparency in the department. He said that after the Punjab Labour Department has linked the Minimum wages with the Consumer Price Index of the Labour Bureau of GoI, the minimum wages of the unskilled workers has been hiked up to 6935.62 per monthe and for daily wagers it has increased to the tune of Rs.267.13 per monthe from 1st January, 2015. Similarly, for the agriculture labour the minimum daily wage has been enhanced to Rs.277.13 without food and Rs.251.93 with food.
Mr. Bhagat further said that the department has consistently working since 2010 to eradicate the menace of child labour and “Eradication of Child Labour Week” is being observed twice every year. He said that under this program 4696 children have been liberated from the forced child labour and the culprit hoteliers/brick-kiln and other management of various private firms has been challaned. He said that under National Child Labour Project special 101 schools have been started in Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana districts for the rehabilitation, wherein 5338 children have been imparting education.
Labour Minister further said that the department has already launched a “Self Certification Scheme” to bring about transparency in the working of the department. Likewise, for the welfare of women labourers, the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishment Act has also been amended, under which the women labourers accorded the permission to work in night shifts. He said that the department has also got the nod of Punjab Legislative Assembly to pay the wages to the labourers through cheque or transfer directly into their bank accounts.
