CHENNAI: Labour Minister T.M. Anbarasan on Monday said the State Government had asked the Centre to remit O.3 per cent of the total estimated cost of the structures constructed by it to the Tamil Nadu Construction Workers' Welfare Fund.

Addressing a meeting held by the All India Trade Union Congress' (AITUC) Tamil Nadu Construction Workers' Union here, he said it was only during the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) rule in 1997, the Tamil Nadu Manual Workers (Construction Workers) Welfare Scheme was extended to the entire State.

Now the DMK Government had written to the Centre to make its contribution to the Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board for works such as buildings and bridges undertaken by Central agencies in the State. Once the amount was received, it would be remitted to the Board.

Migration of farm workers

Central Executive Committee member of the Communist Party of India (CPI) R. Nallakannu said certain policies adopted by the successive State and Central Governments in the wake of globalisation had led to closure of industrial units with high job potential. The agrarian crisis had resulted in large-scale migration of farm workers to far off places in search of jobs in the construction sector and quarries. Little care was taken to protect their interests.

Whip of the Congress Legislature Party Peter Alphonse, Pattali Makkal Katchi president G.K.Mani, CPI leader V.Sivapunniam and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader C.Govindasamy stressed the need for safeguarding the interests of workers of the unorganised sector, which had high employment potential.

State AITUC general secretary S.S. Thiagarajan said two propaganda yatras — one from Kanyakumari and another from Coimbatore — were organised by the union on August 15 to 28 to create awareness among construction workers on demands such as enhancing marriage assistance to Rs.15,000, group personal accident insurance to Rs. 3 lakh, natural death assistance to Rs. 1 lakh, assistance for funeral expenses to Rs.5,000, and maternity assistance to Rs.10,000.

N.Periasamy and K.Ravi, president and general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Construction Workers' Union, who led the campaign, said the programme covered 4,000 km in 24 districts.

State AITUC president K.Subbarayan said payment of one per cent of the total estimated building cost should be remitted as levy towards the welfare board.

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