Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal on Sunday announced a slew of incentives for labourers including hike in the minimum wages of unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled workers, new ESI hospitals and dispensaries and doubled the amount given in case of death of a worker outside the work premises.
The Chief Minister made these and some other announcements while speaking at the State-level labour Day function organised in Sonipat.
Every year, September 17 would be celebrated as ‘Rajkiya Shram Divas’ along with Vishwakarma Jayanti, said he.
He announced increase in the minimum wages given to unskilled workers working in government departments under DC rate from Rs 8,100 to Rs 9,260, semi-skilled workers from Rs 9,000 to Rs 10,286, skilled workers from Rs 10,000 to Rs 11,430, and highly skilled workers from Rs 11,000 to Rs 12,570 per month. The benefit of the increased wages would be given to them from January 1, 2016.
Manohar lal said a new 100-bedded ESI hospital would be opened at Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar district and a150- bedded hospital at Bawal. The 80-bedded ESI hospital in Jagadhari, 50-bedded ESI hospital in Faridabad, and 75- bedded ESI hospital in Panipat would be upgraded to the level of 100- bedded hospitals, he said.
A new building would be constructed for the Directorate of ESI in Sector 14 at Panchkula. It would be for ESI dispensary in Industrial Area Phase-I, Panchkula. Besides, new buildings would be constructed for ESI dispensaries in Barhi and Rai. New ESI dispensaries would also be opened at Barsat Road in Panipat district, Jhandali in Jhajjar district and Mahendragarh. Also, new ESI dispensaries would be opened in Naraingarh and 11 other areas, said the Chief Minister.
Earlier, Manohar lal inaugurated seven projects and laid foundation stones of six projects worth Rs 68.49 crore for Soniopat district. He inaugurated first government canteen by launching the Antyodaya Aahaar Yojana where labour would get nutritious food at low cost. Such canteens would be opened in each district of the state.
He also announced that 60,000 sewing machines would be given to women labourers.
The Chief Minister also distributed Rs 32.12 crore to 40,566 labourers under various schemes. These included Rs 1.77 crore transferred directly into bank accounts of 1,525 beneficiaries under various schemes of the labour Welfare Board, including the Kanyadan Yojana and assistance to membes of the families of deceased labourers, and assistance of Rs 29.25 crore to 39,019 labourers.
On this occasion, Manohar lal gave away Rs 50 lakh to 10 labourers under Silicosis Rehabilitation Policy and Rs 15.74 lakh to 12 labourers under various schemes of the labour Welfare Board.
He also announced to increase the minimum wages limit being given to ‘Anshdata Shramik’ (workers) under the cycle scheme, lTC Scheme and sewing machine scheme of the Haryana labour Welfare Board from Rs 10,000 to Rs 18,000 per month. In case of death of a worker caused due to any reason outside work premises, Rs 2 lakh would be given instead of Rs 1 lakh.
Similarly, the amount given to disabled workers according to their disability percentage has been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh, from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh and Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. The disability pension which was earlier Rs 300 has now been increased to Rs 3,000 per month, said he.
The Chief Minister said under the Kanyadan Yojana, the amount would now be given to a registered labourer at his door-step three days before the marriage of his daughter. Similarly, the amount under Kanyadan Yojana being given to a registered labourer on the marriage of his son has now been increased from Rs 11,000 to Rs 21,000.
The amount given to registered labourers for purchasing tools every three years has now been increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000. Apart from this, provision of ‘Dharmik Yatra’ (religious tour) would also be made for all registered labourers, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister of State for labour and Employment, Nayab Singh said the present State Government had introduced both online and offline registration system for labourers to ensure that no one remained deprived of the benefits of government schemes. At present, more than 5.62 lakh labourers are registered and are availing themselves of the benefits of various schemes of the department, he said.
The present State Government has so far given assistance of about Rs 220 crore under various schemes to 2.46 lakh labourers whereas during the tenure of the previous government, assistance of only Rs 28.55 crore was given to 19,841 labourers, added he.