SC summons Labour Secy over unused funds

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, September 4

The Supreme Court today directed the Union Labour Secretary to be present in the court on September 11 and explain as to why the huge sum of Rs 27,000 crore, meant for the welfare of casual workers in the construction sector, continued to remain unutilised despite the court’s orders.

The Social Justice Bench comprising Justices MB Lokur and UU Lalit summoned the Secretary as the Centre failed to submit a plan of action for utilisation of the fund collected in the form of 1 per cent cess on the construction industry.

The Bench said it had made a remark earlier that going by the “casual attitude” of the Centre and the state governments it would be better if they stopped levying the cess. This observation was aimed at making the government get into action. But even such strong remarks had failed to have any impact on the authorities, it lamented.

The Bench had also noted that some of the states had misused the funds, instead of spending the money for providing health care to the workers’ families and education to their children.

It had directed the Delhi government to return to the welfare fund of about Rs 2.7 crore utilised for publicity over the years. Today, the Delhi government sought a recall of this directive, but the Bench rejected the plea.