Rs3,000 allowance for construction workers

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 13

To mitigate sufferings caused due to loss of livelihood of construction workers amid the Covid restrictions, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today announced subsistence allowance/cash assistance of Rs 3,000 to all construction workers registered with the Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Welfare Board.

The CM, who is also the chairman of the board, said the subsistence allowance of Rs 3,000 would be paid in two instalments of Rs 1,500 each, the first one to be released immediately and the second by June 15.

The state government had extended a helping hand to distressed construction workers last year too, amid the first wave of the pandemic. It had then provided a financial assistance to the tune of Rs 174.31 crore, giving Rs 6,000 each to 2.91 lakh construction workers registered with the board.

The board has nearly three lakh registered construction workers across the state. The livelihood of these construction workers has been adversely impacted in the wake of various restrictive measures and advisories issued from time to time to combat the current situation arising out of recent spike in Covid cases.

The progress of the ongoing construction projects at several places had either stopped or temporarily slowed down, thus severely impacting the income and livelihood of such workers. The Chief Minister said that the financial assistance was aimed at bringing some immediate relief to the construction workers in these difficult times amid pandemic.