Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 24: In its endeavour to promote the interests of deserving segments of the society, the Labour and Employment Department has expended about Rs 400 crore towards welfare and development of eligible beneficiaries under various schemes of the department during 2011-2019.
This was revealed during a review meeting convened here today regarding the performance and functioning of the department which was chaired by Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan.
During the meeting, it was given out that about 4.09 lakh construction workers have been registered with the Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board.
Giving a breakup of the total expenditure by the department, Secretary Labour and Employment Department, Saurabh Bhagat informed that an amount of Rs.27,481.667 lakh has been incurred under Educational Assistance, Rs.7,398.95 lakh under Marriage Assistance, Rs.511.328 lakh under Chronic diseases, Rs.0.15 lakh under Maternity Benefit, Rs.105.915 lakh under disability Assistance and Rs.3,806.41 lakh under Death Assistance had been disbursed among the beneficiaries under different schemes of the Board since 2011.
The meeting was attended by Director Employment, Y P. Suman; Labour Commissioner, Abdul Rashid War; CEO/Secretary Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board, Muzaffar Ahmad Pir; Director Finance, L&E, B.H. Kaifi and other concerned officials.
Secretary briefed the Advisor about various achievements of Labour Department and informed that an amount of about Rs. 221 lakh has been realized as revenue during the current financial year. Besides, the department has registered and renewed about 19,000 shops and establishments under Shops and Establishment Act during the current year through online mode.
The Secretary also presented a detailed description of Jammu and Kashmir Employees Provident Fund Organization informing that the organization has 16,288 total establishments covered as on January 31, 2019 with total membership of 5.34 lakh. Besides, the organization has settled 28,786 Provident Fund claims in the financial year 2018-19 and 16,680 claims in the current financial year.
It was also given out that the process of transition from erstwhile JK State to Central Mode has been under taken by the Central EPFO and JKEPFO wherein a series of meetings have already been held with Central EPFO and Union Labour Ministry.
The Advisor directed the Provident Fund Commissioner JK and Regional Provident Fund Commissioner EPFO to initiate a coordinated and extensive media campaign to make people aware about the new system and consequent additional benefits under Central EPFO which are applicable in JK with effect from November 1, 2019.
Advisor Khan emphasized for raising the financial assistance for the girl child and for maternity benefit. He also directed the concerned to prepare a proposal for providing 100 per cent free educational assistance for professional degree to the meritorious students (wards) of the registered construction workers from the Board.
With regard to providing health benefits and pension to construction workers, the Advisor asked to take up the matter with any insurance company which provides better benefits to the construction workers.
Complementing Labour and Employment department for successfully implementing these schemes, the Advisor emphasized for further raising the financial assistance for girl child and maternity benefits to the beneficiaries.
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