MP grants social security to labourers

Bhopal, Jan 9 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh has become the third state -- after Tamil Nadu and Kerala -- to implement legal provisions granting social security cover to labourers employed in the unorganised and construction sectors, state Labour Minister Jagdish Deora said today.

''Various schemes are being managed for social, economic and educational uplift besides availability of health services.

Thirty-eight categories were earmarked in the construction sector. A labourer is being registered for Rs 5 and will have to pay Rs 10 annually. More than 1.60 lakh people have been registered,'' he told mediapersons here.

Eight types of schemes, including insurance, medical assistance, education, cash awards for meritorious students and marriage assistance, are being run for social welfare of more than ten lakh labourers in the sectors.

''A labour officer has been authorised to grant upto Rs 10,000 and a district collector may grant a maximum of Rs 25,000,'' the minister said.

Admitting that ''certain practical difficulties'' existed in the Centre's anti-child labour law, he added that 90 such labourers were liberated in 14 districts over the past three months and 43 admitted to special schools.

UNI