Chandigarh, December 13, 2019 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday directed the Labour Department to extend the deadline for registration of members of the Building and Other Construction Workers Board till March 31, 2020, besides announcing compensation to construction workers on account of damage caused to the building due to natural calamity.
In a series of directives aimed at promoting the welfare of workers, the Chief Minister announced compensation to the tune of Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1 lakh in case of damage to the house of a construction worker due to storm, heavy rains and other natural calamity.
Presiding over a meeting of ‘Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers Board’ here, the Chief Minister said workers who had been unable to get themselves registered with the Board in the earlier time-frame should be given another opportunity to do so.
Labour Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu informed the meeting that the Department had constituted a committee under SDM with Assistant Labour Commissioners (ALCs) and BDPOs for rural areas, and SDM with ALCs and Executive Officers (EOs) for urban areas, to assess the damage due to calamity so as to provide adequate compensation to such workers under the new scheme of compensation.
The Chief Minister also approved the proposal of the Labour Department to provide financial assistance of Rs. 50,000 for fitting of prosthetic limbs to workers in case they suffer injuries during construction activities. The Chief Minister also asked the Department to intensify healthcare measures and expand other amenities for the workers, said an official spokesperson after the meeting.
Further, with a view to helping workers employ their skills effectively to earn their livelihood, Captain Amarinder announced Rs. 10,000 for the purchase of requisite tool kits for them.
He also announced enhancement in leave travel concession from the existing Rs. 2000 to Rs. 10,000 to facilitate workers to pay obeisance at religious shrines. It was also decided in the meeting that Rs. 11,000 would be given to the meritorious wards of the building and other construction workers if they secure 75% marks in the annual examinations.
In addition, Rs. 11,000, Rs. 21,000 and Rs. 51,000 would be given to the children of these workers if they won first positions in their respective sports at district, state and national level respectively.
Labour Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu informed the meeting that the Department had constituted a committee under SDM with Assistant Labour Commissioners (ALCs) and BDPOs for rural areas and SDM with ALCs and Executive Officers (EOs) for urban areas, to assess the damage due to calamity so as to provide compensation to the beneficiaries.
The Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Raveen Thukral, CM’s Principal Secretary Tejveer Singh, Principal Secretary Labour V.K. Janjua, Principal Secretary PWD Husan Lal, CA GMADA Kavita Mohan Singh, Labour Commissioner Vimal Setia and Members of Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers Board were present at the meeting.
