Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that protection of labourers' rights is top priority of the State Government.
labour welfare schemes will be strengthened further by convening labourers' convention to elicit their opinion. All vacancies in labour Department will be filled in next three years for schemes' effective implementation.
The Chief Minister was reviewing activities of labour Department here today.
Departmental Minister Antar Singh Arya, Chief Secretary Anthony DeSa, Principal Secretary labour MK Varshney, Principal Secretary Finance Ashish Upadhyay, labour Commissioner KC Gupta and other senior officers attended the meeting.
The Chief Minister said that constant inspections should be made to curb child labour and proper arrangements for their rehabilitation.
Bonded labour practice should be curbed strictly. Besides, welfare schemes should be chalked out for organised labourers. It has been decided that concession in fee will be given if licence is obtained for 10 years in lump sum. Besides, cycle purchase grant for labourers will be increased.
The Chief Minister said that labour welfare schemes which are necessary should be improved and strengthened to benefit maximum number of labourers.
Redundant schemes should be restructured. labourers' skill certification should be accelerated.
The meeting was informed that benefits worth `2.62 crore have been distributed to labourers by labour Welfare Board till December last year.
Besides, `10.26 crore has been provided to 17,639 labourers under maternity benefit scheme by Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, `20.99 crore to 10,535 labourers under marriage assistance scheme, `28.73 crore to 17,480 students under education assistance scheme, `7.22 crore as cash awards to 61,661 talented students and `3.49 crore has been provided under accident assistance scheme to 713 labourers.
Similarly, 12,390 labourers were trained under skill development scheme and skill certification of 5000 labourers was done.
Assistance of `2.61 crore was given to 73,210 labourers under labour Welfare Board's various schemes.