The Hindu : Board for construction workers formed in Pondy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 24, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Pondicherry

Board for construction workers formed in Pondy

By S. Nadarajan

Pondicherry Dec. 23. The Labour department has constituted a Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board under the chairmanship of the Secretary to Labour.

Announcing this at a press conference here on Monday, the Health and Labour Minister, E. Valsaraj, said the approval of the Lt. Governor had been obtained for formation of the Board. The latter had also approved the nomination of the members drawn from workers, employers and the administration sides.The Board would establish the Pondicherry Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Fund.Contributions from the beneficiaries, loans, grants or advances by the Central Government and Pondicherry Administration or any other local authority would be credited to the fund, Mr. Valsaraj said.

The other members of the Board are, the Deputy Director in the office of Director General Factory Advice Services of Labour Institute, Chennai, five representatives each from the side of workers , the employers and officials.The officials are drawn from the Labour, PWD, Finance, Law and Town Planning departments.

The Health Minister said with a view to protecting interests of labourers or workers in building and construction sectors, an independent Advisory Committee consisting of representatives from concerned sections, including the architects, insurance institutions had been formed to advise the Administration on implementation of the Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act 1996 in the union territory.

The Committee was also headed by the Secretary to Labour Department and has as its other members the Regional Labour Commissioner (Central government representative), the Chief Inspector (Labour Commissioner) of the Labour Department (member Secretary) , and four representatives each from among employers and workers, a social worker, T. Thiagarajan, ex-MLA, an architect and the Manager of New India Assurance Company (Pondicherry unit).

Building workers in the18-60 age group engaged in construction activities for not less than 90 days during the last 12 months could become members of the Board.

Identity cards with the photos of the members would be issued to those registered with the Board.

The members would be entitled to various benefits covering social aspects of their life, pension, disability pension, medical benefits and insurance cover. Material help to the family bereaved by the death of a member would also be provided.

Mr.Valsaraj appealed to the employers engaged in building and construction activities to provide details of workers for implementation of the welfare schemes.Workers could also enrol themselves in large numbers, he said.

A society to address the issues of workers in uorganised sector had already been formed by the Administration and 25 categories of workers coming under unorgaised sector had been enlisted for enrolment in the Society.The members were extended the benefit of the Society in a systematic manner, the Minister said.

The Secretary to Labour department, R. I. Jaiprakash, and the Labour Commissioner, Rattan Singh, were also present.

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