HUA ministry asks CPWD to monitor PM-SYM scheme

The Union Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) ministry has asked the CPWD, the government's largest construction agency, to centrally monitor the implementation of the PM-SYM scheme, which provides pension to informal workers.

The move comes after Labour Ministry Secretary Heeralal Samariya had written to HUA Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra, saying there were a large number of unorganised workers concerning with his ministry, and that prospective beneficiaries may be informed about the features of scheme.

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has been asked to disseminate the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) scheme at field level and also make the eligible construction workers aware of the enrolment process and benefits.

"The implementation of the scheme among the construction workers may be effectively and periodically monitored centrally at the level of CPWD Headquarters for achieving maximum coverage and for enabling the workers to derive intended benefits from the same," HUA's Deputy Secretary J Roy Chowdhury said in his letter to CPWD's Director General Prabhakar Singh.

The PM-SYM entails a minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000 for unorganised sector workers and was announced in the Budget for 2019-20 last month.

The scheme is targeted at unorganised sector workers, including rickshaw pullers, street vendors, construction workers and agricultural workers, with monthly income of up to Rs 15,000.

According to the government, the scheme would benefit 10 crore workers in the next five years.

The CPWD is the government's largest construction agency and looks after maintenance of central government buildings and erecting of fences on the country's international borders, among others.

The agency also carries out projects in foreign countries under friendship programmes with India.