Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Maharashtra government Thursday launched a special scheme for construction workers in the state.
The scheme, "Atal Aahar Yojna," will provide good quality and hygienic food to construction workers at a highly subsidised rate.
The yojana will be implemented in some areas of the state on a pilot basis and later its scope will be expanded, a government official said.
In the first phase, the target is to cover 20,000 workers and provide them with good quality food at a nominal cost of Rs five, he said.
Launching the scheme in Nagpur, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, "Nearly 10 lakh labourers have been registered with the Labour Board in the state so far. However, we will not stop at just registering their names, we will also try to provide benefits of every welfare scheme to them."
Under the yojana, construction workers will be provided nutritious food at their work place for just Rs five.
The scheme will transform the lives of these labourers, said Fadnavis.
The government will provide all the possible help on three fronts education, income and health to the construction workers. It is already providing a subsidy of Rs 4.5 lakh to labourers for house construction, he added.
Under the Shramev Jayate Yojana, a pension of Rs 3,000 is given to construction workers above the age of 60 years.
In case of a worker's death, the pension will be given to his widow, he added.
Under the scheme, 2.5 lakh labourers have been registered so far. We plan to register about 24 lakh labourers in the near future, the chief minister said.
Under the Jan Aarogya Yojana, labourers are provided with medical facilities up to Rs 1.5 lakh.
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