Guwahati: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal distributed financial assistance to the tune of rupees 9.97 crores to 21,562 registered construction workers and their dependents at a program organised at Dibrugarh on Saturday. Sonowal in the meeting, organised by the State labour welfare department in association with the Assam constriction workers welfare board, also provided smartphones to 2702
tea society leaders, bicycles to 3039 tea plantation chowkidars and post metric scholarships to 3261 students belonging to the tea communities.
Commenting on construction workers who play great roles in making and designing a country in a modern way, the senior BJP leader asserted that extending them dignity and prestige should be assumed as everyone’s duty and responsibility.
“Keeping this as a fundamental principle, Prime Minister Narendra Modi after coming to power decided to bring the construction workers along with others who were previously kept outside the ambit of development narratives and brought them in financial inclusion under Jan Dhan yojana to enable them enjoying dividends of the banking systems,” said Sonowal adding that because of it, over 35 crore workers could open bank accounts during last six years.
He also informed that the State government under a relevant scheme provided rupees 50 thousand to each worker injured in road accidents and rupees three lakh to the families who lost their bread earners in the accidents. Sonowal mentioned about government initiatives like free admission, free uniform, free textbooks etc to the children of tea plantation families.
In presence of Union minister Rameswar Teli, State ministers Sanjay Kishan and Jogen Mohan, legislators Rituparna Baruah, Chakradhar Gogoi, Teresh Gowla, Prasanta Phukan with other dignitaries, Sonowal assured that the government was working untiringly to address all issues affecting the lives of construction workers along with other labourers.
After the meeting, while talking to local scribes, Sonowal expressed happiness that the government could increase daily wages of tea workers by rupees 50 more. He also added that government is now working to stimulate the academic, health, sports and cultural development in the tea plantation localities in Assam.
