The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : ‘Assistance to construction workers to be transparent'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 01, 2010
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

‘Assistance to construction workers to be transparent'

Staff Reporter

Welfare aid to be credited through ECS

Photo: N. Bashkaran

Assessment:Pon. Kumar, Chairman, Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board (centre), addressing a review meeting in Krishnagiri on Wednesday. K. Alagesan (right), Secretary of the Board, and P. Prabhakar, District Revenue Officer are in the picture. —

KRISHNAGIRI: There would be transparency in the distribution of welfare assistance to 20 lakh members of the Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board and the amount would be credited to bank accounts of the beneficiaries through Electronic Clearing System (ECS), said Pon. Kumar, Chairman of the Board, here on Wednesday.

Reviewing the functioning of the Board in Krishnagiri, Mr. Kumar said this system would eliminate malpractices. The ECS system would pave way for speedy disbursal of the assistance, i.e. within a day of submission by the applicants, he added.

He asked the members and the trade union to be fair on their part while enrolling new members and submission of applications for welfare assistance.At present, the welfare assistance was being distributed within a month from the date of submission of application. Almost 90 per cent of the applications for assistance have been cleared by the board.

He said that there were complaints of Village Administrative Officers demanding bribe to issue genuineness of the beneficiaries for natural deaths. Hence, the board has requested the Government to do away with the system of VAOs issuing certificates. The board has proposed to conduct training programmes for trade union leaders to apprise them of the rules and regulations to be followed while enrolling new members.The board would distribute helmets, masks and hearing aids to the members shortly. To start with 500 helmets would be distributed to the members in Krishnagiri district soon. The board has asked the District Labour Officer to submit a list of the beneficiaries for the above accessories.

Office bearers of various trade unions, construction workers participated in large numbers.

P. Prabhakar, District Revenue Officer, presided over the meeting. K. Alagesan, secretary, Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board explained the welfare schemes. S. Yoganathan, Labour Officer (Social Protection Scheme) welcomed the gathering. P. Ramu, Assistant Labour Inspector, proposed a vote of thanks.

Pension eligibility

Meanwhile, welfare assistance to the tune of Rs. 3.42 crore has been distributed to 8, 811 workers registered with the welfare boards for the unorganised workers, Mr. Pon. Kumar said.

He said as many as 84,171 workers were enrolled in the Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board up to June 29. Of this, 5, 633 persons were given assistance through various schemes to the tune of Rs. 1.87 crore.

As many as 40,161 workers were enrolled in the Tamilnadu Udaluzhaippu Thozhilalar Welfare Board up to June 29. Of this 3,178 members were given assistance through various welfare schemes to the tune of Rs. 1.55 crore.

He also said the Board would urge the Government to reduce the age for eligibility for pension age from 60 to 55. The workers enrolled in the welfare boards were given Rs. 400 as monthly pension from the age of 60.

The Board has Rs. 250 crore funds in its account, hence, the members are advised to avail of the benefits.

Mr. Pon. Kumar also gave away assistance to 404 members to the tune of Rs. 7.07 lakh.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu