Ongole: Educate unorganised sector workers on welfare schemes

Ongole: The workers in the unorganised sector should have the knowledge of the schemes and welfare programmes the government is implementing for them, said the Member Secretary of the State Legal Services Authority (SLSA), Ch Raju.

He participated as a chief guest at the awareness programme on NALSA Legal Services to the Workers in the Unorganised Sector Scheme, 2015, held as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav by the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) at Police Kalyanamandapam in Ongole on Saturday.

Speaking at the programme presided over by the DLSA secretary P Srinivasa Rao, the SLSA secretary Raju said that the legal services authorities are working to provide legal help to the people from various sections.

He advised the Labour Department and legal service authorities to work together to create awareness among the workers on their Constitutional rights and the welfare schemes they are eligible for. He asked the Labour Department officials to see the unorganised workers register for the pension programme and see they pay the premium regularly. District Judge and DLSA chairperson PV Jyothirmayi condemned the exploitation of workers hard work by the management. She said that the unorganised workers were contributing an important share to the development of the country, and asked the district administration to take measures to educate them on their rights. She thanked Collector Pravin Kumar for fixing the wage to the daily wage workers in the district. She asked the workers to call the toll-free number 15100 for any legal help required.

Collector Pravin Kumar said that the major share of the GDP of the country is due to the unorganised workers. He said that many workers who migrated to long distant places reached their native villages after suffering a lot in the Covid pandemic situation.

He observed that as the workers didn't register with the government, they didn't get the benefits from the government. He asked the unorganised sector workers to register with the government at least now, as their registration is now available with the village and ward secretariats.

District SP Malika Garg informed that the police are receiving many complaints on civil issues, and advised the public to utilise the services of the DLSA. The Ongole Bar Association president B Bhaskara Rao announced that they are happy to help the people in need of legal aid.

The SLSA secretary, District Judge, Collector and SP, along with the officials inspected the stalls arranged by the DLSA, ICDS, MEPMA, education, police, labour, medical and health departments.

The district first additional judge R Sivakumar, joint collector K Krishnaveni, additional SP B Ravichandra, OSD Chowdeswari, labour department deputy commissioner S Srinivasa Kumar, OMC commissioner K Bhagyalakshmi and others also participated in the programme.