Taking another welfare step for labourers, the Punjab Government led by the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has abolished two year service condition of labourers under stipend schemes for their children. Disclosing this here today, Punjab Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond said that this step would be immensely beneficial for labour fraternity as earlier the condition of two years service was mandatory.
He said that the decision was taken in the 55th meeting of Punjab Labour Welfare Board late last evening. He said the Board’s stipend schemes provide monetary assistance for education to the children of labourers. The Minister pointed out that labourers could get the benefit of stipend scheme from the day of making contributions.
A slew of the significant initiatives have also been taken in the meeting including dissemination of information regarding schemes at the grassroots level. Sond said that a budget of Rs. Two crore had been passed for awareness activities and holding camps including Rs. one crore for awareness activities and Rs. One Crore for holding camps at the work sites for the welfare of labourers.
The Minister also stated that the condition of registered marriage certificate had also done away to get the benefit of shagun scheme. He said now labourers could avail the benefit of shagun scheme by submitting photographs of religious place and religious personalities, who got the marriages solemnised.
With this decision, the labourers will not have to face problems in getting registered marriage certificate, he added. The Minister also directed to hold quarterly meeting of Punjab Labour Welfare Board. It was also decided that fund contribution’s amount will be increased April 1, 2025 so as to further improve the financial health of the board.
Prominent amongst those present in the meeting included Labour Secretary Manvesh Singh Sidhu, Labour Commissioner Rajiv Kumar Gupta, Joint Director of Factories Narinder Singh, Assistant Welfare Commissioner Gaurav Puri, Joint Director Kanu Thind and officials of Industry, Finance and Social Security departments.