The Labour Department is planning to open a facilitation centre for migrant labourers in Kozhikode city.
The centre, expected to start functioning in two weeks, is the first of its kind in Kozhikode district and it will be a one-stop facility for addressing migrant workers’ concerns.
Two employees proficient in Hindi and Bengali will be appointed to manage its activities. The centre proposed by Labour Minister T.P. Ramakrishnan will also coordinate the distribution of health insurance cards under the ‘Awaz’ insurance scheme for migrant labourers.
“We have similar facilitation centres in Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram districts, but this is the first time that we are opening such a centre in the northern Kerala region,” said Joint Labour Commissioner K.M. Sunil.
“We have secured a suitable office space near the Railway station as it would be very convenient for the labourers to avail of its services. What we have in mind is to issue the insurance cards on the same day of their arrival for job,” said Mr. Sunil. According to him, the health insurance cards promising free treatment up to ₹15,000 a year and ₹2-lakh accident cover would also be a valid identity document for the reference of all other departments, including the police.
‘Awaz’ special drive
Aimed at increasing the number of ‘Awaz’ insurance beneficiaries, a State-level enrolment camp too is in progress now. The plan is to cover about 1 lakh more persons in the State during the month-long drive. As of now, there are about four lakh card holders in Kerala. In Kozhikode district, the target is to cover 7,000 more labourers by August 16. At present, the number of such Awaz card holders here is around 33,000.
The intensive enrolment campaign, which was launched in the State on July 16 by adding 766 more new members to the scheme, is also part of the attempts of the State government to take the services of various private hospitals to the migrant labourers’ community. Labour Department officials say the government is trying to realise it through a group insurance scheme linked to the project. The selection of a competent agency and the empanelling process of hospitals will be possible only after the enrolment of at least five lakh workers under the Awaz scheme, they said.
