Patnaik announces sops for construction & unorganised workers

In a bid to improve the lives of lakhs of people engaged in construction activities in the state, the Odisha government today announced a special package like provision of pension, scholarship for children and medical assistance for their families.
"The new package will be effective from from May 1," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced in the Assembly today.
He said the constrution workers aged 60 years and above who have registred with the Odisha Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board, will be given pension at par with Madhu Babu Pension Yojana.
The chief minister said now scholarship will be given to children of construction worker families studying in Class- VIII at the rate of Rs 2,000 per year, Rs 3,000 for Class-IX and Rs 4,000 for Class-X.

This apart, Patnaik announced that one time cash award of Rs 10,000 will be given to meritorious Class-X students of construction worker families who pass with more than 90 per cent marks.
Girl students of construction worker families studying in Class VI and VII will be given cash incentive of Rs 2,000 per year, the chief minister said adding that cash incentive to pregnant and nursing mothers of construction workers families will be enhanced from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 over and above the assistance given under Mamata Yojana which is Rs 5,000.

Scale of assistance under Nirman Shramik Pucca Ghar Yojana will be enhanced by Rs 20,000 over and above the MGNREGS and Swachha Bharat Abhiyan incentive thereby enhancing the assistance for construction of each house to Rs 1.50 lakh, Patnaik said.

For health facility, the government also announced a medical assistance up to Rs 3 lakh for the treatment of nerve disorders, cardiovascular diseases, kidney problems, cancer and orthopaedic disorders provided they are registered for at least one year with the Board.
Besides, a provision of funds for Rs 5 crore has been made for implementation of programmes under Unorganized Workers Social Security Act, Patnaik said.