Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh, at the State labour day programme organised on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti here on Tuesday, congratulated all the labourers of the State and extended them best wishes by gifting free cycle distribution scheme to the 1.10 lakh shepherds and 15,000 kotwars of Chhattisgarh.
Under the scheme, as a token, the Chief Minister presented cheques for cycle to several kotwars and shepherds. The scheme will run by Chhattisgarh Asangathit Karmkar Rajya Samajik Suraksha Mandal of the labour department. The programme was organised jointly by the labour department, Asangathit Karmkar Rajya Samajik Suraksha Mandal, Chhattisgarh Bhawan Evam Anya Sannirman Karmkar Kalyan Mandal and Raipur district administration at Shaheed Smarak Bhawan.
The Chief Minister, who was the chief guest of the function, said that the lakhs of labourers of Chhattisgarh were the real future builders of the state and the country. With their labour only Chhattisgarh earned name in different areas of development, he added.
In the programme presided over by the agriculture and labour minister Chandrashekhar Sahu, school education minister Brijmohan Agrawal, Chhattisgarh Bhawan Evam Anya Sannirman Karmkar Kalyan Mandal chairman Mohan Anti, Raipur development authority chairman Sunil Soni, Chhattisgarh Minority Commission chairman Dilip Singh Hora, State Goseva Ayog member Ramesh Yadu and Prem Singhania
were present.
Addressing the large number of shepherds and kotwars reached here from different districts of the State, the Chief Minister said that Chhattisgarh was the first state in the whole country, which started the free cycle and torch distribution scheme for them. He said that all the labourers working from agriculture farms to factories and offices have contributed to the progress of the State.
The State Government has regarded those working in stone quarries, road and house construction, cattle rearing and kotwars as unorganized workers and prepared welfare schemes for them, the chief minister said. Dr Singh said that the State Government works for the betterment of all categories of people without any bias. “Our schemes are for the people of all castes, classes and religions. All the people of the State are our own family.” The demand for cycles and sewing machines under the various popular schemes of the State Government was so high that the companies were unable to supply them. So the State Government has decided to give provide cash grant to the beneficiaries, the Chief Minister added.
He said that cash grant of Rs 4,600 would be given for good quality sewing machine, Rs 2,742 for cycle and Rs 750 for torch through cheque. By next week, all the 1.10 lakh shepherds and about 15,000 kotwars of the state would be given the grant amount, he added. The State Government so far had distributed 1.13 lakh sewing machines and 87,000 cycles the labourers, the Chief Minister said.