MNREGA workers to get labour board benefits

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 3

The Haryana Labour Department has decided to extend the welfare facilities of the Haryana Labour Welfare Board to MNREGA workers who have worked for 50 days. The workers now will also be entitled to the benefits of Kanyadan scheme, scholarship, monthly pension, financial assistance in case of accidental death, maternity benefit, leave travel concession, health insurance and others.

An official spokesman said they would be entitled to benefits of Kanyadan amounting to Rs 51,000 and scholarship worth Rs 3,000 to Rs 15,000 per annum in addition to similar schemes of the government. He said they would get the benefit of monthly pension of Rs 1,000 after attaining the age of 60 in addition to old age and leave travel concession.

He said next of kin of workers would get financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh in case of accidental death and up to Rs 2 lakh in case of disablement. They would also get Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000 for purchase of bicycles and tools, respectively. Disabled children of the workers will also get Rs 2,000 per month.

The spokesman said other benefits included maternity benefit of Rs 36,000; annual assistance of Rs 5,100 to female workers for purchase of household items like saree, footwear, etc.; and interest free loan of Rs 1.50 lakh for purchase of house. He said approximately 29,000 construction workers, including MNREGA workers, were registered as board beneficiaries during a special campaign for the registration from January 15 to February 14, 2015 organised.

He said as a part of the “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Abhiyan” the state government has extended the welfare facilities of the Haryana Labour Welfare Board and the Haryana Building and Other Construction Worker Welfare Board up to three female children of the workers instead of only up to two children envisaged earlier. These facilities include maternity benefit, Kanyadaan, and financial assistance for education.

Instructions were issued for regulation of work of field offices and the control of Inspector Raj to facilitate the industry. The audit of functioning of field offices has already been ordered. Haryana is actively involved in the initiative of Government of India for labour reforms. The statutory returns under 12 labour laws have been consolidated into one return and the same has been finalised and approved by the Government of India for adoption, he added.