Hundreds of construction workers under the banner of the AITUC-affiliated Odisha Forest, Wood, Agriculture, and Building Construction Workers’ Union gheroaed the office of the Assistant labour Commissioner here on Thursday for fulfilment of their 12-point charter of demands.
The workers demanded immediate issue of identity cards and provision of amenities to them in accordance with the Odisha Construction labour Act, 1996. Even though the process of issuing identity cards to construction workers started in 2009, the beneficiaries in Odisha are yet to avail the cards.
While the other States are ahead in extending such benefits including payment of dues to construction workers, it is only 0.80% in Odisha, said its leader Prabin Das. He alleged that crores of rupees are lying with the State Welfare Board undisbursed due to sheer negligence of the board. The workers are running to the labour Office regularly spending huge amounts to get their dues, but in vain.
Due to lack of funds, particularly at the time of accidents or serious illness, many workers lose their lives, he alleged.
The other demands included effective management of the State Welfare Board, expeditious enumeration of all construction workers, abolition of the existing joint deposit passbook management system by the Collector and District labour Officer and empowering only the DlO alone to maintain and disburse financial assistance to these workers at a single point, payment of Rs 1 lakh as compensation to the workers affected in the Phailin, collection of cess at the rate of 2% instead of 1% as per the Construction of Buildings Act of the Central Government; maintenance of National Register for accurate and timely enumeration of all bonded labourers and payment of benefits like, bonus, EPF and gratuity and minimum pension at the rate of Rs 3,000 per month to each female workers after attaining 50 years and male worker after attaining 55 years.
The demands also included provision of Rs 2 lakh as compensation at the time of accident, scholarship/ fellowship to students in +2 and +3 technical educations and provision of working tools as per the decision of the Welfare Board last year.