The Hindu : New Delhi News : Access to health, education for labourers to be made easy

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Sunday, May 24, 2009
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Access to health, education for labourers to be made easy

Staff Reporter

‘Urgent utilisation of money from their Welfare Fund needed’

Around one lakh students to start getting scholarships from July when schools re-open
Chief Minister directs Health Department to make available 20 mobile dispensaries

NEW DELHI: To streamline major facilities for construction workers and their dependents in the Capital, the Delhi Government has decided to simplify the procedure for grant of scholarships, medical care and financial assistance in case of life-threatening diseases.

Presiding over a high-level meeting at her residence here on Saturday, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit emphasised the need for urgent utilisation of the amount accumulated in the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Fund being implemented by the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board. The decisions have been taken to use the amount in a planned manner with immediate effect to ensure provision of the facilities of education and medical care to the construction workers.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to take this up as a challenge so that construction workers and their dependents could benefit.

At a meeting organised on Wednesday Ms. Dikshit had directed the Departments of Labour, Education and Health to come up with a feasible action plan in this regard. It was decided on Saturday to transfer a substantial amount to the Education Department to ensure release of scholarships to the children of construction labourers studying in Delhi Government and Municipal Corporation of Delhi schools at the prescribed rates.

It was estimated that around one lakh children would start getting their scholarships from July when the schools re-open. This would ensure maximum coverage of the scheme and the benefits would reach the children in the shortest possible time.

The amount would be transferred from the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Fund.

The Chief Minister directed the Health Department to make available 20 mobile dispensaries to be deployed for the benefit of the construction workers and their dependents.

The dispensaries equipped with the essential drugs would be able to provide medical care in respect of common diseases.

Ms. Dikshit further directed the officials to transfer a substantial amount to the Arogya Nidhi Fund, which would be used exclusively for patients with life-threatening diseases belonging to the families of construction labourers. It would make the release of financial assistance simpler and easier. The amount spent on the treatment through mobile dispensaries and financial assistance in case of life-threatening diseases would also be released from the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Fund.

She directed the departments concerned to take care of the other aspects related to the welfare of construction labourers in Delhi. A large number of construction labourers are engaged in the ongoing construction activity for the upcoming Commonwealth Games-2010 and other mega projects in the city.

The meeting was attended by Labour Minister Mangat Ram Singhal, Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely, Health Minister Kiran Walia, Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta and other senior officials.

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