Tamil Nadu - Tuticorin   

Construction workers’ welfare board opposes shifting of verification of application

Tuticorin: The state government should drop the proposed move to entrust the Revenue Department with the responsibility of scrutinising applications of construction workers seeking membership in Tamil Nadu Construction Workers’ Welfare Board, according to K.Ravi, state general secretary, Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Federation.

Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, he said that shifting the process of verification of applications pertaining to authenticity of profession and duplication of memberships from the Labour Department to the Revenue Department would cause red-tapism and inordinate delay in the distribution of membership cards.

He said that the government should make the collection of one per cent cess from every construction project ( both private and government works) towards the corpus created for Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board as envisaged under Tamil Nadu Manual Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Work) Act 1982, mandatory.

“Recurring loss per annum owing to ‘improper collection’ of cess had been computed at Rs 250 crore,” he said.

Due to this ‘shortfall’, adequate amount could not be allocated for extension of various welfare assistances to construction workers and their families.

Mr. Ravi said that steps should be taken to increase the pension of construction workers from Rs.400 a month to Rs.1,500.

Similarly, provident fund, insurance cover, bonus and accident relief, should be introduced at the earliest.

The maternity assistance extended to female construction workers should be raised from Rs.1,000 a month to Rs.3,000 a month for a period of six months.

He said that the federation plans to hold an agitation in Chennai on August 12 to press the charter of demands.

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