To press for a slew of demands, hundreds of unorganised workers under the banner of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), will stage a dharna in front of the State legislative Assembly here on November 12.
In a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, INTUC State president and former MP Rama Chandra Khuntia said that there is hardly any social security for unorganised workers, who account for 1.5 crore of the total population in the State.
“While neighbouring States like Chhattisgarh and West Bengal have implemented various schemes for welfare of unorganised workers, the Odisha State Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board has failed to extend benefits to the workers as per expectation,” rued Khuntia.
The INTUC demands that financial assistance be immediately given to unorganised workers for purchase of cycles, tools, hand gloves, etc., and for scholarship for their children’s education, marriage, etc,, in all pending cases.
The other demands include reconstitution of the Welfare Board, inclusion of the workers under the Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana or Janashree Bima Yojana with the State Government’s contribution of `100 towards annual premium per worker and immediate implementation of the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008.