Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday announced an enrolment drive to register and revalidate 10 lakh construction workers free of cost, directing officials to take welfare schemes directly to labourers through special camps.
Review Meeting Highlights
Chairing a review meeting of the Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers' (BOCW) Welfare Board, the chief minister said his government is committed to ensuring every construction worker receives social security benefits, welfare assistance, and opportunities for skill development.
Mann noted that despite ample funds, welfare schemes have not achieved desired success due to long processing times.
Expanding Coverage
Highlighting the need to expand coverage, he said: "As of now, 2.21 lakh workers are registered with the BOCW Welfare Board, which is quite low considering the massive construction activities and urbanisation across Punjab. To improve it, more registration camps will be organised across the state."
According to an official statement, the chief minister announced that the registration fee burden on workers will be removed during the special campaign to encourage maximum participation. "It has been observed that workers often avoid registration because they are required to deposit Rs 145 as registration fee. To incentivise registration and revalidation, applicants will not be required to deposit this fee during the mass registration campaign."
Around 10 lakh workers will be enrolled or revalidated during this campaign, and the Punjab Government will bear the financial implication of nearly Rs 15 crore.
Fee Waiver and Evening Camps
He further said the government will bear the registration fee cost of all workers who do not avail any benefits within a year. The Labour Department has also been directed to organise special camps in villages during evening hours because labourers return home from work at that time, ensuring maximum registrations.
Mann also directed officials to improve facilities at labour chowks, such as sheds and drinking water.
Reduced Processing Time
He said: "In the financial year 2022-23, the processing time for welfare schemes meant for labourers was 203 days. The Punjab government has now reduced it to 73 days. Long processing times were a major hurdle preventing workers from availing welfare schemes, and therefore this important decision has been taken."
Skill Development and Women's Welfare
Emphasising skill development, Mann directed the Board to share details of 50,000 live registered construction workers with the Punjab Skill Development Mission for training. He also said training should be organised at construction sites, along with training centres and camps.
Mann also directed officials to ensure that women labourers benefit from the government's flagship welfare initiatives. "The Board must ensure that women labour workers also receive financial assistance under the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna," Mann said.
