The Labour Department has disbursed Rs.214 crore as welfare pensions and bonus and succeeded in averting disputes during the Onam season, Labour Minister Shibu Baby John has said.
A sum of Rs.214 crore was sanctioned for distributing all welfare pensions till September — Rs.175 crore for the farm workers pension, Rs.1.45 crore for tailors, and Rs.9.65 crore for cashew workers’ pension, among others. Bonus issues were resolved through timely intervention. Ex-gratia payments were made to labourers of institutions that remained closed and enhanced pension was distributed to retired labourers.
The government had enhanced the pensions by Rs.500 in the current financial year. The arrears from April had been distributed along with this month’s pension. About 1.5 lakh pensioners of various welfare fund boards would be getting this benefit.
A sum of Rs.21.42 crore was sanctioned for distributing the unemployment dole arrears from December last to May. Steps were taken for advance distribution of the cashew workers’ pension in September. The relief given to the workers of closed cashew factories was enhanced from Rs.750 to Rs.1,000.
The workers of the Neendakara port got Rs.3,000 and the casual labourers of Harbour Engineering Department Rs.2,000, the Minister said.
