Social Welfare Minister M. Kandasamy has urged the Centre to bear the entire premium for the social security programme meant for unorganised sector labourers under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) scheme.
Speaking at the Regional Conference of State Labour Ministers and Principal Secretaries of Southern States organised by the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment in Kochi in Kerala on Wednesday, the Minister said the Centre should consider paying the entire premium instead of leaving 50% share to the territorial administration.
As many as 33,705 unorganised workers had enrolled with the Puducherry Unorganised Labourers Welfare Society. Grant-in aid given by the administration from time to time was the main source of revenue for the society. “The monthly income of the unorganised workers is meagre. The beneficiaries are not in a position to contribute to the scheme and the administration is facing severe financial constraints. We find it difficult to enrol the unorganised workers under the scheme. So, the Centre should consider the request to bear 100% premium,” he said.
ESI scheme
The Minister said the administration was setting up a society as per the directions of ESI Corporation. Once the society was set up, ESI Corporation would incur the cost of implementing schemes of the corporation for a five-year period.
Mr. Kandasamy requested the Ministry to expedite establishment of a ESI Super Speciality hospital at Indira Nagar. The government was ready to provide land for the same. The facility would help 19,000 registered persons get medical facility.
Ashok Kumar, Secretary, Department of Labour, and R. Jegajothi, Additional Private Secretary to Chief Minister, participated in the conference.
