In a crucial welfare move to benefit casual paid labourers (CPL) of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the extension of existing provisions of ‘Preservation and Transportation of the Mortal Remains,’ to them and okayed an increase in funeral expenditure to `10,000 from `1,000. Till now, the benefit was applicable to personnel of the BRO and General Reserve Engineer Force(GREF).
Giving details here on Sunday, defence ministry officials said the funeral expenditure will be borne by the government in the event of a death of any CPL while on government bona fide duty at BRO projects, whose last rites are being performed at the worksite.
The CPLs are employed by the BRO for construction of roads in forward/border areas. They work hand-in-hand with the BRO personnel in adverse climate and tough working conditions, which sometimes results in casualties.
Until now, the facility of preservation and transportation of mortal remains to the native place at government expense was available only for the GREF personnel. The CPLs working in similar conditions were deprived of this facility. In case of their death, the burden of the transportation falls on the bereaved families.
Due to lack of financial resources, the family of the deceased are unable to bear the expenditure of airfare or even transportation by road in most conditions.