Workers are architects of modern India : Gangwar

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Minister of State (I/C) for Labour and Employment, Santosh Kumar Gangwar on September 17, 2018, greeted everybody on Vishwakarma Jayanti and said that workers of the country are architects of modern India. He gave away 28 Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar (VRP) shared by 139 individuals and 128 National Safety Awards (NSA) for the performance year 2016 at a special function in New Delhi.

Addressing the function, Gangwar said that there are around six crore organized sector workers who are getting benefits of EPFO and ESIC. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is specially concerned about around 40 crore unorganized sector workers, he said adding the Union Government has taken many steps to enhance their working conditions, safety and social security to improve their standard of living.

An amount of Rs 40,000 crore has been collected as cess for welfare of construction workers and this fund is being utilized by the state governments for welfare of nearly five crore construction workers. The government is concerned about the for well being and safety of women workers too, the Minister said. Crèche facility for the organisation with 50 or more workers has been made compulsory. Maternity Leave has been extended up to 26 weeks from 12 weeks. The honorarium of 14 lakh Aanganwadi workers have been increased from Rs 3,000 per month to Rs 4,500 per month. Likewise, honorarium of Aanganwadi helpers has also been increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,250 per month, Gangwar added, according to a PIB release.

Gangwar further said that the Ministry is making efforts to increase employment opportunities through Pradhan Manrti Rojgar Protsahan Yojana. Twelve per cent of the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) contribution of new employees is being given by the government so that employees may not have to bear this cost. The government has spent Rs 1,744 crore for this EPF contribution for around 72 lakh employees of nearly 87,000 organizations, he said.

The Ministry of Labour & Employment has been operating the “Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar” (Previously known as Shram Vir National Awards) and “National Safety awards” since 1965.