113 casesunder Payment of Gratuity Act 1972, 35

Hoshiarpur/Daljeet Ajnoha/April 3 : In order to ensurewelfare and empowerment of labourers in the district of Hoshiarpur, the Departmentoflabourhastakennumeroussteps.Catalysingthecourtwork,113casesunder Payment of Gratuity Act 1972, 35 cases under Minimum Wages Act 1948 and 3 cases under Employee’sCompensation Act 1923 havebeen disposed of in the lasttwo months.Similarly, raidshavebeenconductedtopreventchildlabourand4childrenwererescuedinthemonth of March by the District Task Force and these children were presented before Child Welfare Committee. Similarly, raids were regularly conducted to prevent bonded labour. All the licensesunderContractLabour(A&R)Act1970,BuildingandOtherConstructionWorkers(RE &CS)Act,InterStateMigrantworkman (RE&CS)Actetchavebeenclearedandhandholding support is being provided to the applicants in the process. In order to ensure welfare of construction workers, help desk has been created for facilitating application of welfare schemesunderPunjabB.O.C.W.WelfareBoard.Inthelasttwomonths,246applicationsunder severalschemesofB.O.C.W.WelfareBoard,amountingtoRs28,97,000/-havebeenprocessed and forwarded for payment. Moreover, as per new reforms, applications under welfare schemes (except Ex Gratia scheme, Shagun scheme and Balri Scheme) cannow be directly forwardedbyAsst.LabourCommissioner toSecretaryBoard forpayment.Forthewelfareof workersinorganizedsector,applicationsunderPunjabLabourWelfareBoardhavebeendealt swiftly. Sh. Jashandeep Singh Kang, Assistant Labour Commissioner Hoshiarpur said, “ConstructionworkerscannowregisterwithPunjabB.O.C.W.WelfareBoardthroughPunjab Kirti Sahayak App and concerted efforts shall be made to ensure empowerment, upliftment and welfare of labourers”