Jajpur, 29/08(PPT): The Jajpur district administration and the District Labour Department organised a special camp at the Sanskruti Bhawan in Jajpur Road on Saturday to distribute identity cards and welfare assistance to registered construction and unorganised workers.
As many as 543 registered construction workers from the district received various welfare benefits amounting to ₹2.18 crore, with the assistance being transferred directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. Identity cards were also distributed among newly registered workers.
Jajpur Lok Sabha MP Dr Rabindra Narayan Behera, who attended the programme as the chief guest, stressed the need to ensure economic security and social protection for workers and their families. He said workers were the foundation of society and development, and assured that efforts were being made to ensure that every eligible worker benefited from government welfare schemes.
Dr Behera said financial assistance for education, marriage, maternity and death-related benefits was being transferred directly to beneficiaries through DBT, ensuring transparency and enabling workers to receive the benefits without intermediaries.
Korei MLA Akash Dasnayak emphasised the effective implementation of government welfare schemes for construction and unorganised workers. He assured that sustained efforts would be made for the development and welfare of workers in the Korei area.
Kalinganagar Additional District Magistrate Sapan Kumar Nanda, Joint Labour Commissioner Siba Shankar Mishra and Divisional Labour Commissioner Satya Narayan Acharya attended the programme as guests. District Labour Officer Dipti Ranjan Sahu presided over the meeting.
Under various welfare schemes, 352 workers’ children received ₹40.01 lakh as educational assistance, while 91 beneficiaries were provided ₹44.75 lakh as marriage assistance. Families of 44 deceased workers received ₹1.30 crore as death benefits. In addition, 45 beneficiaries received ₹2.25 lakh towards funeral expenses, while 11 beneficiaries were provided ₹1.10 lakh as maternity assistance.
The Labour Department also sensitised workers about online registration and application facilities available through government portals and the ‘Odisha Shramik Sathi’ mobile application. Workers can apply for benefits themselves or through Mo Seva Kendras, officials said.
A toll-free helpline, 1800-345-6703, is available for lodging complaints and seeking assistance.
The department also conducted an awareness drive against child labour, informing participants that employing children below 14 years of age is a punishable offence. The public was urged to report instances of child labour through Childline 1098.
The Labour Department appealed to all construction and unorganised workers in the district to register themselves under the applicable government welfare schemes and avail themselves of the benefits.
Assistant Labour Officer Satyarupa Sahu conducted the proceedings, while Assistant Labour Officer Nilima Nayak proposed the vote of thanks. Representatives of various workers’ organisations and members of the media were present at the programme.