Awaz cards for over 1 lakh migrant workers in district

Over one lakh migrant workers in Ernakulam district have registered for the State government’s Awaz health insurance scheme.

As many as 1,11,646 workers will now be able to avail medical coverage of ₹25,000 annually at government hospitals.

The scheme also includes a payment of ₹2 lakh to the family in case of the worker’s death. In the district, 1,01,910 men, 9,707 women and 29 transpeople have registered.

District Labour Officer (Enforcement) V.B. Biju said that the maximum number of workers, nearly 50,000 from Odisha, Assam and West Bengal, had registered from Perumbavoor. A facilitation centre to assist migrant workers with the process is functioning at Perumbavoor.

The medical coverage had recently been increased from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 annually, he said. Of the over five lakh workers with Awaz cards in the State, Ernakulam has registered the maximum number.

The Department of Labour is in the process of issuing Awaz cards to migrant workers at the BPCL Kochi refinery.