Gujarat move to replicate Amma canteen for construction workers opposed: Plea to utilize funds for welfare

By A Representative
Closely following the Amma canteens of Tamil Nadu and Annapurna Rasoi of Rajasthan, the Gujarat government’s populist decision to provide meal at a highly subsidized rate of Rs 10 to an estimated 50,000 construction workers across the state appears have few takers among social organizations working among them.
Announced in the 2017-18 budget, the state government proposes to hand over the kitchen for providing meal to a charity organization at chosen 88 spots, where construction workers seek jobs every day in the state’s urban areas. In all, it is estimated, it would cost state coffers Rs 70 crore in a year.
Opposing the move, Vipul Pandya, general secretary, Bandhkam Mazdoor Sangathan (BMS), which has branches spread out in all major cities, in a letter to Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani said that the workers wanting to have meal would face the “unnecessary hassle standing in queue every day”, which would “hurt their self-respect and dignity.”
Subsidized meal at Amma canteens is said to be a major reason why late Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa managed to remain popular in elections. Taking the cue, ruling parties of several states, including West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, introduced a similar scheme.
The letter, written following a meeting of senior activists working among construction workers, says that such a scheme would become an “unnecessary drain on the exchequer of the Gujarat Construction Workers Welfare Board (GCWWB), which is supposed to fund for the scheme.”
“Instead”, the letter insists, “It would be more proper to provide workers with unemployment allowance of Rs 1,200 per month, especially during the monsoon season, when they are jobless, from GCWWB funds.”
“In fact”, states Pandya, “Even today, several charity organizations provide free meal at different spots, hence where is the need to spend money on providing subsidized meal is difficult to understand.”
Pandya says, the decision to hand over money from from GCWWB coffers has “little meaning”, as whatever funds the government body collects as cess for GCWWB from builders is “not utilized for the welfare of the construction workers.”
“The cess is collected at the rate of 1% of Rs 3,000 per square metre of buildup area, and according to our estimate, the GCWWB has already collected Rs 1,600 crore, which is lying unutilized”, says Pandya.
According to Pandya, “It is difficult to understand why the GCWWB continue to collect cess on the basis of a government resolution (GR) of 2006, instead of a 2012 GR, which says that the collection should be 1% of the construction cost involved per square metre.”
“Already”, says Pandya, “The GCWWB has lost an estimated Rs 2,500 crore for failing collect cess under the new formula”, adding, “The GCWWB fund should be collected under the new GR, and it should be utilized in providing interest free loan of up to Rs 2 lakh to buy up equipment used while doing construction work.”
“Also”, says Pandya, “The amount should be utilized in providing a subsidy of Rs 1,60,000 for the construction workers wanting to own a house, whether in city or in rural areas.”
He added, “The amount could also be used for providing pension of Rs 2,000 the construction workers, who cross 55 years of age, because they are unable to get employment in the industry thereafter.”

Comments

Telangana government urged to stop 'unconstitutional' relocation of Chenchu tribes

By A Representative The Nallamalla forests are witnessing a renewed surge of indigenous resistance as the Chenchu adivasis , a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), have formally launched the Chenchu Solidarity Forum (CSF) on the eve of World Earth Day to combat what they describe as unlawful and forced relocation from the Amrabad Tiger Reserve .

Dhandhuka violence: Gujarat minority group seeks judicial action, cites targeted arson

By A Representative The Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat has written to the Director General of Police seeking judicial action in connection with recent violence in Dhandhuka town of Ahmedabad district, alleging targeted attacks on properties belonging to members of the Muslim community following a fatal altercation between two bike riders on April 18.

Cracks in Gujarat model? Surat’s exodus reveals precarity behind prosperity claims

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The return of migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, particularly from Gujarat, was inevitable. Gujarat has long been showcased as the epitome of “infrastructure” and the business-friendly Modi model. Yet, when governments become business-friendly, they require the poor to serve them—while keeping them precarious, unable to stabilize, demand fair wages, or assert their rights. The agenda is clear: workers must remain grateful for whatever crumbs the Seth ji offers.

'Fraudulent': Ex-civil servants urge President to halt Odisha tribal land dispossession

By A Representative A collective of 81 retired civil servants from the Constitutional Conduct Group has written to the President of India expressing alarm over what they describe as the wrongful dispossession of tribal lands in Odisha’s Rayagada district. The letter, dated April 19, 2026, highlights violent clashes in Kantamal village where police personnel reportedly injured over 70 tribal residents attempting to protect their community rights.

India 'violating international law obligations' over Israel ties: UN rapporteur

By A Representative Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, has alleged that India is “violating its obligations under international law” through its continued association with Israel, including defence ties and alleged arms exports during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Why Tamil Nadu, Periyar, and the Dravidian model aren't just regional phenomena

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The election campaign in Tamil Nadu this season is strikingly different. The alliance led by the DMK is consistently referred to as the “ DMK alliance ,” not the “INDIA alliance.” This distinction is unsurprising given the state’s history: Tamil Nadu remains the only state to decisively reject “national” parties. The AIADMK’s surrender to the BJP after J. Jayalalithaa ’s death represents, in many ways, a betrayal of the politics of Tamil identity—an identity Periyar envisioned as Dravidian, not narrowly Tamil.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

World Book Day: Celebrating the power of reading in the Indian context

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* Written language is one of humanity’s greatest achievements, setting us apart from all other living beings. In a country like India, home to diverse languages, cultures, and traditions, books play an even more powerful role. They are not just tools of communication but bridges across generations, regions, and ideologies. When we read the works of Munshi Premchand or Rabindranath Tagore , we are not merely reading stories; we are engaging in a silent conversation with minds that lived decades, even centuries ago. That is the true power of books: they preserve thoughts, ideas, and emotions beyond time. Recognising this immense value, the world celebrates World Book Day , a day dedicated to honouring books, authors, and the joy of reading.

The aesthetic of new pain: Transforming social reality into poetry

By Ravi Ranjan* The poetry of Kumar Ambuj , specifically the twelve works published in 'Samalochan' in April 2026, serves as a profound and vibrant document of contemporary Indian society that intertwines personal wounds with deep-seated social structures. Ambuj’s sociological and aesthetic vision is one that peels away layers of reality without resorting to slogans, standing firmly in favor of democracy, secularism, and scientific consciousness while critiquing the minutiae of capitalist modernity.

Search This Blog