Minister for Health and labour, Amar Agrawal distributed cheques amounting to Rs 32.10 lakh as financial assistance to labourers under various schemes being implemented by the labour department here on Wednesday.
The cheques were distributed on the occasion of the birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee which the Chhattisgarh Government is observing as ‘Susashan Diwas’ (Good Governance Day) in the State. Speaking on the occasion, Agrawal said the progress of the country had been made possible by the hard work of the labourers.
During the past five years, the State Government had been offering financial assistances to the family members of labourers on a priority basis through its various welfare schemes, he stated. The Minister said the development of Chhattisgarh had been ensured by according priority to the uplift of the economically weaker sections.
The State Government which previously offered rice at Rs 2 per kg to the poor families would now be offering the same at Rs 1 per kg from next month, he said. This is also the first time that the Government while keeping in view the welfare of the construction labourers had benefited them by registering them for availing benefits of various welfare schemes to improve their standard of living besides enabling their children to continue their studies, Agrawal said.
He said the State Government had been providing Rs 30,000 to the family members of a dead labourer besides offering financial assistance of Rs 15,000 for marriage of their daughters, Rs 7,000 as delivery expenses and scholarships for their children.