Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Labour Department has implemented many pro-workers policies during the year 2024. While special camps were organised across Punjab to make the workers aware of the government schemes and other policies, financial assistance worth crores of rupees were given to the workers under many welfare schemes.
Divulging the details, The Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond said that all services/welfare schemes provided by the Department of Labour under various Acts have been digitized. He said that for example Approval of building plan, Acceptance of Stability Certificate. Registration of factory, Grant of license, Renewal of license, Amendment of license, Permission to employ women in night shift, Registration of Principal Employer, Grant of license to contractor, Payment of welfare fund, Claim of benefits of Punjab Labor Welfare Board, Registration of construction site, Registration of trade unions. Submission of Annual Returns under labor laws, claim of benefits of Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, Registration of shop and commercial establishment etc have been digitised.
He said that The Punjab Building & Other Construction workers welfare board has made various reforms like Simplification of Registration form, Translation of Form no. 27 in Punjabi for convenience of construction workers. He said that if any objection is imposed on the application of a worker, SMS is sent regarding the same to the construction worker and now Labour Inspectors will have to process the registration/renewal application within 14 days of receiving the application.
He further informed that The Punjab Building & Other Construction workers welfare board has simplified the terms and conditions of the various welfare schemes including Stipend Scheme, LTC Scheme and Shagun Scheme. Sond said that the Board has won SKOCH Award 2024 for policy formulation and implementation and distributed a total amount of 102.23 crore to 67,549 workers during financial year 2022-2023 and Rs 97.29 crore to 41,155 workers during financial year 2023-2024 under various welfare schemes. During current financial year total Rs. 19.53 crores have been disbursed among construction workers.
The Minister said that during the year, the Punjab Labour Welfare Board has also distributed a total amount of Rs 15.36 crore among 5145 beneficiaries.
Department of labour registered 57,75,402 workers on e-Shram portal launched by Govt. of India for registration of unorganised workers.
He said that Help desk has been created in offices of Asstt. Labour Commissioners/Labour Officers for facilitating workers to resolve their objections in registration/renewal of beneficiary cards and welfare schemes.
Labour Minister shared that during 2024, Social Media Accounts of the department opened on WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook to share the activities of the department.
