The Punjab Government on Tuesday took two major decisions for the welfare of construction labourers — hiking scholarship of their children and doubling the Shagun amount given to their daughters before their wedding.
The increased rates of scholarship and Shagun would be applicable from April 1, 2013, stated Punjab labour Minister Surjit Kumar Jiyani, after taking these decisions in a high level meeting of the Punjab Building and other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board.
“Now the students from Class I to V would get scholarship of Rs2,000 annually, from Class VI to VIII Rs3,000 per annum, from Class IX to XII Rs5,000 yearly, and for college student for every stream of graduation or post-graduation, Rs15,000 per annum, would be given as scholarship,” he said.
If the college student is staying at hostel, the amount would be Rs30,000 per annum. Similarly, every kind of medical or engineering degree students would be entitled for the scholarship of Rs30,000 per annum and if the student staying in hostel this amount would be Rs50,000 per year.
Jiyani further said that the amount of Shagun given during the marriage of the daughter of the construction labourers’ has also been doubled. Now, the Shagun amount would be Rs21,000 instead of earlier Rs11,000.
“Board would also help the registered labourers and their dependents for dental and eye care and for hearing aids. Financial aid for Rs800 would be given for eyeglasses, Rs5,000 for implanting denture and Rs6,000 would be given for hearing aids,” he added.