Govt raises housing subsidy for limestone, dolomite workers

In a bonanza to limestone and dolomite workers, the government today agreed to enhance their housing subsidy to Rs 75,000 and increase financial assistance for their daughter's marriage to Rs 25,000.
The 21st Central Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting of the Labour Welfare Fund for Limestone and Dolomite workers chaired by Labour Minister Narendra Singh Tomar also decided to raise the welfare cess from Rs 1 per tonne to Rs 1.5 per tonne of limestone and dolomite.
"The CAC presided over by Minister agreed to enhance the welfare amount in various schemes. Inter-alia, it included enhancing the housing subsidy from Rs 40,000 to Rs 75,000 and increasing financial assistance given for daughters' marriage from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000," an official statement said.

The Minister expressed concern over the size of the welfare fund and also its proper and complete utilisation for worker's benefits and said, "Funds are beneficial only when they are realistic."
"In order to augment the fund for welfare of workers, the Minister appealed to the employers to enhance the cess rate and it was decided to raise the cess from Rs 1 per tonne to Rs 1.5 per tonne of limestone/dolomite," the statement said.
The Minister said that holistic and realistic support must be provided to the worker for construction of such dwellings.

Apart from the raised housing subsidy of Rs 75,000, Tomar said that state governments will be requested to provide at least Rs 25,000 from the state coffers and facilitate bank-financing of Rs 40,000 for the beneficiary.

"These when clubbed with worker's modest savings will enable flow of adequate funds for construction of a sustainable dwelling," he said.
The Limestone and Dolomite Mines Labour Welfare Fund Act 1972 is one of the five Labour Welfare Fund Acts dealing with the welfare of non-coal mine workers in the country.