The Delhi Government granted Covid relief of Rs 5,000 each to 47,996 construction workers on Monday.
The decision came after Deputy Chief Minister and Labour Minister Manish Sisodia issued directions to the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (DBCWB) in this regard.
Sisodia urged all construction workers to get registered with the DBCWB in order to avail the benefits of welfare schemes of the Government. He assured the workers that the Delhi Government would stand with them at all times.
The Government had already disbursed Rs 5,000 each to 2,16,602 construction workers as Covid-relief in April this year.
This ex gratia payment is for construction workers whose applications were approved between May 28 and July 18. This relief comes as an additional benefit for construction workers who were hit hardest because of the Covid crisis in Delhi.
The Deputy CM further said, “After the first lockdown was imposed because of the pandemic last year, the Delhi Government was one of the first Governments to grant relief disbursement to all the 39,600 workers who were registered with the construction board in March 2020.”
“We carried out a series of reforms in the labour department by conducting regular inspections and mass registration drives for the beneficiaries. As a result of this, within eight months the number of construction workers registered with the board has increased to three lakh,” he said.
The Labour Minister appealed to all the construction workers to get registered with the construction board so they can avail benefits like funds for education, marriage, maternity, pension, etc.
Sisodia also said, “Earlier workers had to stand in long queues for hours to submit their application but now, the entire process has been shifted online which helps the workers apply quickly on the Government website and not miss their daily wage.”
“It is noteworthy that the Delhi Government also started a 24×7 helpline for construction workers, where workers can dial 011-41236600 and give a missed call. The grievances of the workers were solved within 48 hours. These construction workers belong to the most marginalised section of Delhi and were one of the hardest-hit sections of the society during the Covid crisis. This relief disbursement for construction workers comes as a much-needed support during these tough times,” he added.