Social Security for construction workers: Dattatreya

Bandaru Dattatreya, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, said that the Ministry has proposed to set up three 100-bedded hospitals in Ramagundam, Warangal and Ghoshamahal (Hyderabad), if the State Government allocates land.

Addressing a press conference, after the review meeting with the Telangana State Labour Minister  Nayini Narasimha Reddy and other officials with the Central Labour Ministry officials, here on Saturday, he said that the ESIC dispensaries at Tandur, Doulatabad, Khammam, Suryapet, Maheswaram, Siddipet and Kalvakurthy would be upgraded to 6-bedded hospitals. Rupees 10 crores will be provided for each hospital for construction and infrastructure facilities.  The minister requested  Nayini Narasimha Reddy to provide land for the construction of hospitals at the earliest.  All the beedi workers’ hospitals located in the State would be merged with the ESIC Hospitals.  First upgraded hospital will be constructed in Nirmal.

Dattatreya said that the housing subsidy for the beedi workers will be increased from Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 1 lakh 50 thousand.  The ministry is planning to construct 10 thousand houses for beedi workers in the State.  The Centre is also planning to provide the services of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and ESI facilities to the beedi workers.  Under Social Security Scheme 18 lakh contract labourers will be covered under the services of ESIC.  In this regard, a decision has to be taken after consulting the ESIC board officials.   Dattatreya said that a decision has to be taken on the request of Government of Telangana to set up 2 Sub Regional ESIC Centres at Ramagundam and Kothagudem and one Employees Provident Fund Regional office at Khammam.

The minister said that the Centre is planning to provide Social Security for construction workers like ESI and EPF. Nayini Narasimha Reddy, Minister for Labour and Employment, Government of Telangana, Heeralal Samaria, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Government of India and ESIC officials attended the press conference. (NSS)