Decks have been cleared. The Chandigarh administration, at last, has constituted welfare board for unorganized workers of the city. The board is consisting of 28 members drawn from various segments of the society.
According to the notification No 14070 dated September 12, 2018 from the Administrator of UT, Chandigarh states that the Board includes seven representatives each from the unorganized workers and employees of unorganized workers. Besides, seven members were included in the board from Labour Department; Social Welfare Department; Estate Office; Food and Supply Department; Department of Industries, Tourism Department and the Education Department.
It is also stated that it has also five eminent persons of city civil society and two members were taken from the elected members representing Chandigarh. The Labour Commissioner will be its chairman and the Member Secretary, State Legal Services Authority (SLSA), Chandigarh, will be special invitee.
It is also stated that Mr Anil Dubey, Councillor,Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh has also been included as a member of Chandigarh Unorganized Workers Social Security Board.
Notably, the domestic workers union and the SLSA have been demanding constitution of a welfare board for the unorganized workers so that they could avail the benefits of government welfare schemes. The Central Government had announced ESI benefits for domestic workers last year but Chandigarh has not taken initiative in enrolling the workers in the scheme in absence of constitution of the Board.
Source: Punjab News Express