Srinagar, June 19:  A conference, first of its kind in the Valley, on Labour Welfare was held here on Saturday.
 The conference which was organized by BOCWWB impressed that around one lakh workers/labourers working in various construction units in J&K be provided with various basic facilities including healthcare, insurance cover, marriage assistance, scholarship for children and above all safety and security at all costs.
 The conference was presided over by Minister for Labour and Employment, Higher Education,   Abdul Gani Malik and attended by Commissioner Secretary, Labour and Employment,   Farooq Ahmed Peer, CEO/Secretary, BOCWWB, Syed Muried Hussain, Assistant Labour Commissioners and senior officers of various departments connected with construction works.
 Stressing for registration of employees, skilled, unskilled workers and contractors, the Minister said that the benefit under cess scheme can only be extended to labour force when the registration of each individual is conducted.
 Insisting on use of uniform by all the supervisory staff as well as labourers on the work site, the Minister said that uniform will maintain the dignity of labour class and the quality of work and proper identification will be ensured.
 Directing for bringing a halt on child labour, the Minister said that each labourer should be between the age group of 18-60 years and the persons above 60 shall be covered under pension scheme.
 The Minister directed CEO to be in touch with concerned authorities and flow down necessary information to the construction organisations regarding new circulars and guidelines being issued by the Government from time to time. The Minister further directed for adhering to the mechanism, formulated by central and state government for the purpose and implement Cess Act in letter and spirit.
 Commissioner Secretary Labour and Employment,   Farooq Ahmed Peer said that other than Agri sector, “we have large population of peculiar workforce engaged by various corporations, contractors and other private construction agencies for doing skilled or unskilled works there.”
 In absence of social security of these workers, it becomes duty of government to enforce the necessary Act which assures the safety and security of each labourer but in case the worker has to work for overtime, he should be paid separately for that period.
 Categorizing the labourers, Peer said that first category includes the personnel engaged by various corporation. The said organization is responsible to take care of their work force.
 Another category is engaged through contractors for certain organisations. Those contractors are supposed to provide necessary information about the workers and their problems so that government takes timely action in redressing their grievances.
 As regards, the labourers working direct under the contractors, it is duty of each employer to maintain the register and share all their problems with the government so that necessary steps are taken to ameliorate the lot of poor people.
 Earlier, Secretary and CEO BOCWWB, Syed Muried Hussain apprised the meeting about the functioning of the board. He said that the board is working for implementation of building and other constructions Act-1996, Cess Act-1996, Filing of Returns, Levy and collection of Cess, maintenance of record register like weekly rest register, muster roll and overtime register, registration of employer and workers as per directions of Supreme Court.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 19 Jun 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 19 Jun 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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