Labour Min lists benefits for daily wage workers

SHILLONG: Labour Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Tuesday listed various welfare measures for daily wage workers.
In reply to a question by Jemino Mawthoh (UDP) in the Assembly, Lyngdoh said the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, is applicable to all categories of labourers.
The specific schemes meant for the welfare of daily wage labourers exist for building and other construction workers, she said.
According to the minister, the facilities include maternity benefits, welfare pension, advance for purchase of construction of house, disability pension, loan for purchase of tools, funeral assistance, death benefits, cash award and financial assistance for students, medical benefits, financial assistance for marriage, family pension, Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana, personal protective equipment, skill development and Megha Health Insurance Scheme.
To a supplementary question, the minister said the number of registered workers is 6,000.
Raising a supplementary question, Mawthoh said the Government should create more awareness among the workers on the facilities.
Laitlyngkot veterinary centre
Animal Husbandry Minister HDR Lyngdoh said while the Laitlyngkot Veterinary Centre is functioning, the dispensary is yet to be made functional.
In reply to a question by UDP’s Titosstarwell Chyne on the status of the centre, Lyngdoh said the Veterinary Aid Centre was upgraded to Veterinary Dispensary and the work was completed on May 16, 2013.
However, he said the creation of post for Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Officer and Veterinary Assistant is yet to be sanctioned.
Raising a supplementary question, Chyne said the dispensary is not functional and added that the Veterinary Centre is surrounded by forest.
The minister said temporary arrangement has been made to post a doctor in addition to his existing duty to make the dispensary functional.
Balat-Shella road
The State Government will soon approach the Centre on the need to sanction the Balat-Shella road.
In reply to a question by Congress’s P.N Syiem, PWD (Roads) Minister M.M Danggo said the detailed project report in respect of improvement and upgradation of Balat-Shella road to intermediate lane including construction of RCC T-Beam bridges with a length of 30 km under Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources was sent to DoNER on March 26, but the sanction is awaited.