Odisha govt announces sops for construction workers

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jan 7:

The Odisha government today announced a series of welfare measures for construction workers in the state and their families.

The announcement was made by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the concluding session of the two-day district collectors’ conference at the State Secretariat here today.

The state government has decided to relax the duration of the registration of construction workers for availing free bi-cycles from three years to one year while completely withdrawing the one-year registration norms for financial assistance in case of normal death of a construction worker and for purchase of safety equipment.

Besides, the government would also provide a daily compnestaion of Rs 200 to the registered construction workers presently undergoing skill development training.

It was also decided to increase the maternity assistance for women construction workers from Rs 4000 to Rs 8000 and marriage assistance from Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000.

Besides, the government also announced annual scholarships for tor the children of construction workers.

While Rs 5000 will be provided to the students studying in class XI and XII, students pursuing graduation and post-graduation studies and ITI will be eligible to get Rs 7000.

Diploma and polytechnic students will get scholarship of Rs 10,000 while students of B.Tech, MBBS, B.Arch, M.Tech, M. Arch, MCA, MBA, M Sc, M. Pharma and Hotel Management and Catering will get Rs 40,000.

The Chief Minister asked the collectors to ensure registration of migration workers on a priority basis and raise awareness among the migrant labourers on the helpline for labourers (Shramik Sahayata Helpline) set up by the state government to provide immediate assistance to them.

He also announced incentives for officers at various levels involved in innovations and exemplary work.

The General Administration (GA) department would identify these officers in coordination with line departments and recommend for their training in reputed institutions within the country and abroad.

Officers selected for any national award by the Centre should be declared as the state guest while they go to receive such award.

Besides, the GA department will sanction Rs 25 lakh in favour of the awarded districts for taking up documentation, dissemination and training activities for the performance of spreading such best practices to all other districts of the state.

These districts will act as resource districts for providing such support to all other districts. The GA department will coordinate the dissemination and training activities for this purpose in conjunction with the awarded districts and the concerned line department.

For dissemination of best practices, the GA department will identify such practices and take steps for their video and text documentation, the Chief Minister informed.