Bank accounts for unorganised labourers in Chhattisgarh

Saving accounts of more than 1.4 million labourers, of unorganised sector, will be opened in various banks under Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana in Chhattisgarh.

The decision was taken in the review of meeting of labour department that was chaired by Chief Minister Raman Singh. He opined that both Chhattisgarh Building and Other Construction Labourers Welfare Board (Chhattisgarh Bhavan Avam Anya Sannirmaan Karmkaar Mandal) and Chhattisgarh Unorganised Labourers Welfare Board should work for registration of labourers so that they could avail the benefited under different schemes.

The meeting decided that the labourers would be encouraged to open bank accounts under Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana. The Chhattisgarh Building and Other Construction Labourers Welfare Board has registered 747,000 labourers and Chhattisgarh Unorganised Labourers Welfare Board has registered 664,000 labourers, till date.

Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana would encourage the labourers to develop the habit of saving. Under the scheme, they would be provided accidental insurance of Rs 1 lakh and general insurance cover of Rs 30,000.

The meeting also discussed child labourers' issue. The chief minister said that rehabilitation of child labourers was important and the assignment should be taken with a serious note. Various departments of the state government would work with mutual coordination for identification and rehabilitation of child labourers and to provide them education facilities.

Grade-III field-level officers of all the development-related departments would be given powers of labour inspector for identification of child labourers. The officers would conduct surprise inspections and file criminal case in labour courts against the employers, who are found to have hired child labourers of age 14 years and below, under rules and procedures of Child Labour Act.

Singh said the industries involving jobs of life-risk should ensure security of labourers as top-most priority. The labourers should be provided required security equipment and should be trained in using these equipment.