Centre is busy connecting unorganised workers with welfare schemes. Toward the same end,Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment chaired a review meeting on the progress of welfare measures taken by the Directorate General Labour Welfare (DGLW), an organisation under the Ministry, in New Delhi on Thursday.

The meeting focused on reviewing the welfare measures taken for the benefit of unorganised labour including migrant workers, Building & Other Construction Workers (BoCW) and Beedi/Cine/Non-Coal Mineworkers under existing Central and State schemes.

Emphasizing the benefits of the recently launched BoCW Management Information System (MIS) portal, Ms. Dawra said that the objective is to ensure the welfare of BoC workers and the portal acts as a means to achieve the same. Follow-up with States/UTs on the progress of registrations done on the portal and updation of workers’ details, including fund utilization of BoCW Cess for access of labour to various central and state welfare schemes was emphasized.

Secretary, (MoLE) highlighted priority areas as follows:-

1. Bringing Beedi/Cine/Non-Coal Mineworkers, aged 70 years and above, under the health benefits of Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).

ii. Strengthening a coordinated approach to work with the State BoCW Welfare Boards to extend the benefits of various central government schemes to BoC workers by utilizing BoCW cess fund.

1. Follow up with the States/UTs to expedite the integration of BoC workers’ data with the e-Shram portal of the Ministry, to enable access to various schemes as a one-stop solution for unorganized workers.

Secretary, MoLE directed regular interactions of the Welfare Commissioners posted in various States with State Governments, with the ultimate aim to expand the outreach of various welfare schemes, including central sector schemes, to the workers in informal sector.

A two-day Capacity Building Program for the Labour Welfare Commissioners based in States is being organised from 21st to 22nd October, 2024 at V.V. Giri National Labour Institute, Noida, Uttar Pradesh by the Ministry for which the above issues will be discussed in detail and suitable strategies developed.