Odisha construction workers engaged outside to be registered

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Nov 12:

In a belated move, the Odisha government today decided to register construction workers from the state working outside the states. Registartion of construction workers was so far limited to those working inside the state.

The decision was taken at a high level meeting chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik at the state secretariat here, official sources said.

The government has received a lot of flak for its failure to protect the interests of workers in the state, especially migrant workers engaged in construction sites outside the sate.

“The state government will organize camps at different locations for such workers. These workers will be entitled to all the government benefits that are applicable to those working inside the state,” said an official.

He said these workers will be extended housing loans subject to a maximum of Rs One lakh on an interest rate of two percent.

These workers will be provided with skill up gradation training and will be provided with training certificates from National Council of Vocational Training (NCVT), the source said.

Several other important decisions concerning welfare of construction workers from the state were taken at today’s meeting, which was attended by the Labour minister, development commissioner, principal secretary Labour, Labour commissioner and other senior officers of the concerned departments.