J&K to launch welfare scheme for workers in unorganised sector

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Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir government is set to launch a major welfare initiative for workers in the unorganised sector to provide them institutionalised socio- economic security.

The social security scheme would be launched by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh here on January 8.

Under the scheme, named "Muhafiz" (Guardian), around three lakh workers registered with the Jammu and Kashmir Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board (JKBOCWWB) would be covered under accidental, life and disability insurance.

Their children would also be provided educational scholarships, Minister for Finance, Labour and Employment Haseeb Drabu said.

The scheme also envisages extending a micro credit facility to the workers and facilitating their registration through online and other modes, he said.

The total premium involved for these workers in the first instance would be about Rs 5 crore, Drabu said.

He said that the JKBOCWWB would be starting the credit facility with a limit of Rs 10,000 and the counter guarantee, which would be deposited by the board with the J&K Bank, would be about Rs 30 crore.

The board in the past three years has provided financial assistance of around Rs 275 crore to such workers under various components, including education, marriage, chronic diseases, the minister said.

Resources for socio-economic welfare of the workers would be generated through a cess levied under the Building and Other Construction Workers (RE&CS) Cess Act, he said.

The government is contemplating some more measures to ensure socio-economic security of workers in the unorganised sector, and facilitate them and their children to have adequate financial security, the minister said.

He said that the most labourers in the unorganised sector are from rural areas.

"In this sector wage-paid labour are largely non- unionised due to casual and seasonal nature of employment and scattered location of enterprises," Drabu said.

This sector was marked by low income, unstable and irregular employment, and lack of protection either from legislation or trade unions, the minister said.