Shimla, 24 November, 2024-The presence of labour-intensive industries in Himachal Pradesh presents challenges before the state regarding welfare, management and skill development of workers and to provide them with safe working conditions. The state government has responded well to these challenges and is fully committed to the welfare of workers. Various facilities are being provided to workers and their families through numerous welfare schemes.

Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the government, in the first year of its tenure, has increased the minimum wages of unskilled workers from Rs. 350 per day or Rs. 10,500 per month to Rs. 375 per day or Rs. 11,250 per month. This year again the minimum wages has been further increased to Rs. 400 per day or Rs. 12,000 per month. In its first two-year tenure, the state government has increased the minimum wages by Rs. 50 per day.

A total of 75,485 workers have been brought under the ambit of the Skill Development Allowance Scheme in the last two years and skill development allowance of Rs. 89.02 crore has been granted to the eligible applicants.

Similarly, 23,186 workers have been brought under the ambit of the Unemployment Allowance Scheme in the last two years and an unemployment allowance of Rs. 44.54 crore has been provided to the eligible applicants under the scheme. Under the Industrial Skill Development Allowance Scheme, Rs. 72 lakh has been provided in the last two years and 269 eligible new applicants have been brought under the ambit of the scheme.

The state government is providing employment opportunities to the youth in the private sector through employment fairs and campus interviews. Since January 2023, the Department of Labor and Employment has organized eight employment fairs and 771 campus interviews and through these 13,637 youths have been provided employment in private sector. Apart from this, since January 2023, 1,327 applicants have been provided employment in government sector through employment exchange offices.

The state government has also started the facility of online registration and renewal of registration in employment offices beginning from 1^st August, 2023. EEMIS portal has been launched which can be accessed from home on mobiles or computers and also from the nearest Lokmitra Kendras, ensuring the youth can get registered or get their registration renewed without having to visit the offices. Facility of registration of employers is also available on the EEMIS portal. Since its launch, a total of 662 employers have registered on the EEMIS portal.

The government is also providing livelihood counselling and guidance to the youth regarding various schemes related to employment, self-employment, entrepreneurship and skill development programmes etc. Under this, 81,019 youths have been benefited since January, 2023.

Apart from this, under the Himachal Pradesh Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, provision has been made to provide financial assistance to the labourers and their families through various schemes for marriage, maternity and paternity benefit, medical, education, pension, girl child, Chief Minister Housing Scheme, assistance for mentally retarded/disabled children, funeral and death assistance etc.

The board has registered 10,182 new workers till August, 2024 and spent an amount of Rs. 40.56 crore on the welfare of workers. During the first two years of the state government, Rs. 31.14 crore has been transferred to the bank accounts of 9,638 eligible beneficiaries under various welfare schemes. The state government has collected Rs 238.59 crore from various institutions as labour cess.

The board has also started a new Chief Minister Widow, Destitute and Divyang Mahila scheme, under which registered widow, destitute and Divyang women workers, whose annual income is less than 2.50 lakhs and who have not taken any assistance under other schemes, are being provided Rs. 3 lakh for house construction. Along with this, an additional amount of Rs. One lakh is also being provided for the construction of kitchen, toilet and washroom.