The Telangana State Government will take up a special drive to enrol building and other construction workers so that they could utilise the benefits under various schemes initiated for them.
Home and Labour Minister Nayini Narasimha Reddy told the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday that 9.49 lakh workers had been registered so far with the Telangana Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board. The Government had so far disbursed Rs. 82.55 crore to 69,610 workers. A special drive to enrol workers in construction, considered by and large an unorganised sector, would be launched next month, he said.
Amma Vodi
Health Minister C. Lakshma Reddy said the Government was actively working out modalities for expanding 102 referral transport service all over the State in phases. The scheme was launched in tribal and remote areas initially to encourage women to opt for institutional delivery and it received overwhelming response.
He admitted that there was shortage of doctors in some areas and asserted that efforts were under way to recruit more doctors to facilitate effective medicare to the poor and needy. The Government was also considering incentive to mothers who opt for institutional delivery.
To another query, he said the Government was actively considering upgradation of hospitals at the headquarters of the newly formed districts. In this direction, instructions had been issued to officials to take steps for recruitment of doctors and other staff and these institutions could be operated from rented premises, if need be, for the time being.
Pension offices
Finance Minister Etala Rajender expressed the Government’s willingness to modernise certain pension payment offices where aged pensioners were facing difficulties for want of facilities.
Replying to a query on the problems faced by pensioners who had to produce life certificates every year, he said the certificates could be submitted in banks or treasury offices.