Punjab Labour Minister Chunni Lal Bhagat today directed the officials of the Labour Department and Punjab Construction Workers Welfare Board to speed up the process to make the smart card of registered construction workers under Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Beema Yojana (BPSSBY) so that they could avail the benefit of scheme in true spirit.Presiding over the high level meeting of Punjab Construction Workers Welfare Board here, Mr. Bhagat said that under this coveted scheme of Punjab Government, registered labourer and his family member would be eligible to get free treatment of Rs.50,000 per annum and in case of accidental death or 100 per cent disability of worker, family member of the victim would get Rs.5 lac insurance amount. He strictly instructed the officer of the department that the board would pay the enrolment fee of Rs.30 of construction labourer. It was also decided that Rs.35 training allowance would be given to the labourer, who pursues skill enhancing training in his duty time or after. Mr. Bhagat said that the board would provide new cycles to the labourers, who registered with board for more than one year.
Labour Minister expressed satisfaction over the process of registration of construction workers by the board, resultant which more than 3.96 lac workers have been registered till date and total Rs.260 crore have been spent on welfare scheme for the construction workers.It was also decided that night shelters will be constructed on the second floor of the Skill Development Centers, which are being established at Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Mohali. This would enable the homeless workers/labourers to spend nights at these shelters.Mr. Sodhi Mal, Labour Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Punjab Construction Workers Welfare Board apprised the Minister that it is the priority of the board to register construction workers and also give ample scholarships for education of their children. He also informed that during the current financial year, the board has disbursed Rs.23 crore under scholarship scheme to the registered workers alone.On this occasion, the Minister said that the schemes being implemented by Punjab Construction Workers Welfare Board came in for special praise at a meeting recently held in New Delhi regarding review of working of construction boards of all the state of India. He said that the other states were asked to analyze and take a cue from the schemes being implemented by Punjab Construction Workers Welfare Board.