The Haryana Chief Minister,Manohar Lal, today more than doubled the monthly pension of workers aged 60 years or above registered with the Construction Workers Welfare Board, from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,500, and announced setting up of Haryana Unorganized Workers Social Security Board which will work for the welfare of workers employed in the unorganized sector.The Chief Minister made these announcements while speaking at the state-level Rajkiya Sharamik Divas Samaroh organized by the Labour Department, on the occasion of Vishvakarma Jayanti, in Karnal today. He also accepted on-the-spot 33 demands put forth by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Nayab Singh Saini.Organised and unorganised are two sectors engaging workers. In Haryana, about 25 per cent workers are working in the organised sectors, while 75 per cent are in the unorganised sector. Our focus is not only on the organised sector but also on the unorganised sector. Which is explained by the fact that Haryana Unorganized Workers Social Security Board has been constituted, he said.At present, over 7.76 lakh workers are registered with the Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board out of which over 5.08 lakh members are active. The state government is running several schemes for their welfare and for the welfare of their families. “We have decided to increase the monthly pension of registered workers of this Board, who are 60 years or over, to Rs 2,500 from Rs 1,000,” he added.Giving a broad view of the new health scheme launched by the state government, Mr Manohar Lal said from September 23, the Central Government would give Rs 5 lakh annually to poor families, on the basis of the data of Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC)–2014, for healthcare facilities.According to the SECC data, there are 14 lakh poor families in Haryana, out of which 8.5 lakh families would benefit from this scheme. But those families which could not be recorded in SECC data, for any reason, would be given Rs. 5 lakh for healthcare services from the Construction Workers Welfare Board, he said.
The Chief Minister said it is a good coincidence that the birthday of our diligent Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, falls on Vishwakarma Jayanti. On this occasion, foundation stone has been laid of Sharam Shakti Bhawan, Panchkula, Directorate Office Building of ESI Health Care, and ESI Dispensary Building.Labour plays an important role in the economic development and prosperity of any country. “We believe in ‘Satyamev Jayate’ and we respect our labour. While following the ideal of Antyodaya given by Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay, we are first focussing on those who are most in need of the basic needs of life. The state government is committed to protecting the rights of labour and is working for their welfare,” he added.The Chief Minister said the state government had taken steps to remove the anomalies that sprung up during re-fixation of minimum wages. Today, Haryana ranks among the states which are giving highest minimum wages. In Haryana, the salary of unskilled worker is Rs 8,542 per month, which means, he gets daily wage of Rs 329. “We have fulfilled the promises made during the elections by giving daily wage of Rs 300”, he added.Financial assistance is being provided to the children of workers for education, sports and health, women labour for delivery, and also in case of death or amputation of any limb of labour in accident. The labourers are also being given financial assistance for the purchase of cycle or any tool. There are also pension and insurance schemes for them. Ex-gratia given to the dependent of registered labour, in case of his death, has been increased to Rs 2 lakh from Rs 1 lakh. The Chief Minister said under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, poor women were being provided with LPG connection. If there is anyone who does not have gas connection, he/ she can inform the district officer concerned and they would get it within 48 hours. In order to provide clean, nutritious and healthier food to workers and the needy at just Rs 10, as many as 23 canteens have been established in nine districts by the Labour Welfare Board.
Manohar Lal said by leaving the old tradition of naming the universities after leaders, we have set a new trend by naming these after great people who motivated and gave new direction to the society.Speaking on the occasion, the Labour Minister, Mr Nayab Singh Saini, said working on the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”, the present government had increased the minimum wage of workers by 52 per cent to 73 per cent. Besides, Building and Construction Workers Welfare Board provides financial assistance to registered workers in case of disability due to any accident at work.Earlier, this amount was between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh which has been increased to Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. Apart from this, in case of death of registered worker, provision has been made to give financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh, and in case of unregistered labour, Rs 2.5 lakh.Mr Saini said the state government had also increased the financial assistance given on the natural death of an unregistered construction worker to Rs 2.5 lakh from Rs 1 lakh and disability pension of workers has been increased to Rs 3,000 per month from Rs 300 per month. The stipend amount given to the children of labour from Class 1 to graduation has been increased to between Rs 8,000 and Rs 20,000 from Rs 3,000 to Rs 16,000.The state government has also made a provision to give kanyadan rashi three days before marriage.
While Rs 51,000 is given as kanyadan, Rs 50,000 is given for making other arrangements. It takes the total to Rs 1.01 lakh.Mr Saini said the state government had arranged to bear all expenditure of children of labour studying in IIT, AIIMS and any other higher education institution. Also, meritorious students of Class 10 would be given encouragement amount in the shape of FD of up to Rs 51,000, on the basis of their academic excellence.The state government has started 23 schemes for the welfare of workers. Under these, over Rs 420 crore has been provided to about 4.88 lakh workers, whereas under the previous government, financial assistance of only Rs. 39.61 crore was provided to 19,841 workers.The Finance Minister, Capt. Abhimanyu, said the Centre and the state government were running many schemes for the welfare of workers. “Our government has spent over Rs 420 crore for the welfare of labour in only four years, whereas the previous government had spent only Rs 39 crore”, he added.Those present included, Transport Minister, Mr Krishan Lal Panwar, Minister of State for Food and Supplies, Mr Karan Dev Kamboj, BJP State President, Mr. Subhash Barala, MLA, Assandh, Mr. Bakshish Singh Virk, and MLA, Gharaunda, Harvinder Singh Kalyan.