Tamil Nadu - Tuticorin   

“Aid worth Rs. 800 crore given to workers in State”

Taking stock:Ponkumar, Chairman, Tamil Nadu Construction Workers' Welfare Board, addressing a meeting in Tuticorin.

Tuticorin: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi was concerned about the welfare of workers the reason why many welfare boards had been formed under organised and unorganised sectors, said Pon Kumar, Chairman, Tamil Nadu Construction Workers' Welfare Board.

Addressing a meeting here on Sunday before reviewing delivery mechanism of various welfare schemes, he said that assistance to the tune of Rs. 800 crore had been given to workers under 33 welfare boards in the State.

In about six months, it would reach the mark of Rs. 1, 000 crore. Other States had been wondering how welfare boards could function successfully in Tamil Nadu.

To ensure assistance for pension, marriage, education and death among other aid reached the beneficiaries without a hitch, norms for getting them had been simplified. Enrolment of workers had been done in a credible and verifiable manner to make sure that welfare assistance reached only the targeted beneficiaries.

Some officials were caught in the past for wrongdoings in enrolling workers in boards in few districts and disciplinary action was taken against them.

Registration for new membership in boards and renewal should be done without fail and soon.

Demands for raising old age pension benefits, death assistance and old age pension for women from the age of 55 would be represented to the government.

The Tamil Nadu Academy for Construction in Chennai, for which foundation stone was laid recently, would impart training to one lakh construction workers to create job opportunities.

Presiding over the meeting, Collector C.N. Maheswaran said that 1.18 lakh workers in various parts of the district had been enrolled in welfare boards.

Financial assistance to the tune of Rs. 2. 61 lakh under accident relief, natural death, marriage and education was given to 15,055 workers, he said.

Welfare assistance amounting to Rs. 1.94 lakh was given to 31 workers under various welfare boards functioning under the Labour Department on the occasion. Membership identity cards were also given.

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