MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)
(a) to (e): In the backdrop of a challenging situation led due to the outbreak of Covid-19 which led to financial constraints, specifically to unorganized workers and in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and the welfare of workers, all the States/UTs were advised to frame a scheme under Section 22(1)(h) of the BOCW (RE&CS) Act, 1996 for transfer of adequate funds in the Bank accounts of construction workers, through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Mode.
Contd..2/-
:: 2 ::
In response, during the 1st wave of Covid-19, the State/UT BOCW Welfare Boards have cumulatively disbursed more than Rs. 5618/- Crores, through DBT, to the bank accounts of 1.83 Crores (approx.) BOCW Workers during lockdown and thereafter. Food relief packages have also been provided by the States/UTs to around 30 lakh workers from the cess fund. Further, during the 2nd Wave of Covid-19, Rs. 1795.482/- Crores have been disbursed through DBT, to the bank accounts of 1.23 Crores (approx.)
The Central Government has issued comprehensive Advisory Guidelines on 27.07.2020 to all the States/UTs for the welfare of the migrant workers returning to the destination States in the backdrop of Covid–19. The States/UTs have been advised to implement the advisory guidelines by quickly gearing up their Labour Law enforcement machinery and ensuring statutory compliance by all the stake-holders which could provide migrant workers much needed help to mitigate the financial crisis and empower them to deal with the pandemic. The States/UTs have also been advised to maintain updated data of the migrant workers to facilitate the administration to extend benefits of the welfare schemes of the Government to the migrant workers.
Apart from this, several initiatives have been taken by the Ministry of Labour and Employment as part of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana(PMGKY) and Atmanirbhar Bharat which, inter-alia, include (i) payment of 12% employers’ share and 12% employees’ share under Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), totaling 24% of the wages by the Government of India for six wage months from March to August, 2020 for all the establishments having up to 100 employees with 90% of such employees earning less than Rs.15,000 monthly wage; (ii) reduction in PF contribution from 12% to 10% of wages for the wage months of May, June and July, 2020; (iii) non-refundable Covid advance from the PF by amending the EPF Scheme, 1952; (iv) extension in the date of filing of returns; (v) issuing advisory to promptly attend to distress calls of workers /employees and also guide them in temporary shelters; (vi) using Building and other construction workers (BOCW) cess fund for transfer of funds in the bank account of construction workers affected by COVID-19 outbreak. In addition to above, measures have also been taken by other Ministries/Departments under PMGKY to support the poor including migrant workers, such as, provision of food grains, gas cylinders free of cost, direct transfer of financial assistance into bank account of the beneficiaries etc. Government has also taken initiatives for creating jobs at local level and supporting migrant workers through Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan.
Contd..3/-
:: 3 ::
In the second wave of COVID-19, with a view to ensuring food security, health safety and transport facilities to the migrant workers, the Ministry of Labour & Employment has been regularly conducting review cum coordination meetings with the States and UTs. Till now, eight such meetings have been conducted via Video-Conferencing on 13.04.2021, 23.04.2021, 06.05.2021, 13.05.2021, 20.05.2021, 27.05.2021, 03.06.2021 and 10.06.2021.
******
Download PDF Files
