Most Gujarat construction workers 'fail to get' Rs 1000 cash benefit during lockdown

By A Representative
Three unorganised workers’ organisations of Gujarat – Bandhkam Majur Sangathan, Bandhkam Majur Vikas Sangh and Majur Adhikar Manch – have taken strong exception to the failure of the state government failing to provide the promised Rs 1,000 cash benefit to the state’s 42% of the registered construction workers during the lockdown.
At the same time, they have complained, in a letter to the Gujarat Building and Other Construction Labor Welfare Board, there is no information whether those who have not registered themselves – about 30% of the construction workers – have received the amount.
The letter said, the state chief minister had announced a cash relief of Rs 1,000 to unorganized workers’ families, which included 6.38 lakh construction workers registered with the board. But out of 6.38 lakh workers registered with the board, only 3.68 lakh workers have been paid Rs 1000 through direct bank transfer (DBT).
Addressed to the board’s member-secretary, with a copy to the state labour secretary, the letter says, “We estimate that there are about 20 lakh construction workers in the state. Even 15 years after the formation of the board, only 6.38 lakh workers have been registered. Significantly, only 10 of the construction workers renew their registration.