Labour and Employment Department is bracing up to start a massive exercise to register unorganized workers from January 1, 2019 in compliance to the Supreme Court directions.In this regard, Commissioner/Secretary to Government, Labour and Employment Department, Saurabh Bhagat today chaired a meeting of Employment Department here to discuss the modalities for the drive.The Commissioner/Secretary was informed that the department has already identified the eligible Unorganized Workers and their registration will be started soon. It was further informed that the Workers Facilitation Centre (District Employment & Counselling Centre) of each district has already devised the formats and shall start registration From January 1, 2019 as per the directions of the Supreme Court of India.Pertinently, the Supreme Court, in its August 21, 2018 Judgment directed all the states to start the registration of Unorganized Workers from January 1, 2019.The Unorganized Workers like Carpet Weavers, Tailors, Cobblers, Potter Hawker/Street Vendors, Spinning Wheel Workers, Automobile Mechanics, Pony Walas, Embroidery Worker etc. who are hitherto not covered under social security schemes shall be brought under the fold of Atal Pension Yojana, Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, Aam Aadmi BimaYojana, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana etc.
J&K Bank under Corporate Social responsibility has also been roped in to digitize the data of Unorganized Workers and asked to come up with a portal for online service delivery to the Unorganized Workers.Commissioner/Secretary directed the Deputy/Assistant Directors of District Employment & Counselling Centres of Kashmir Division to ensure that the time line as fixed by the Supreme Court of India is adhered to.He also impressed upon the officers to give wide publicity to the registration exercise being launched by the department through print and electronic media and by involving PRIs, to ensure that all Unorganized Worker are covered.The meeting was attended by Director Employment J&K, Y.P. Suman, Deputy Director Employment Central Shahid Mahmood,, S, Vice President J&K Bank Shafaat Rufai and Senior Executive, J&K Bank Irfaan Nazir, besides the District Employment officers of Kashmir Province.