The Delhi Government on Monday announced the mega registration drive for construction workers to help them avail different Government benefits.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Labour Minister  Manish Sisodia said that there are 10 lakh construction workers in Delhi, out of which 1.31 lakh workers are registered with Delhi ‘Building and Other Construction workers Welfare Board’.

“Around 80,000 workers are in the process of getting registered. Through the mega registration drive, over 8 lakh more workers will be duly registered,”  he said.

Highlighting the role of construction workers, Sisodia said, “ Construction workers are the backbone of nation as they provide strength to nation’s development. They are responsible for building our houses, our cities. Hence, Delhi Government is committed to ensure their dignity and upliftment” .

The Minister shared that Delhi Government is launching the mega registration drive so that the construction workers can avail different benefits of schemes of Delhi Government related to education, pension, maternity, marriage and others.

Sisodia mentioned that registration camps will be organized at 45 sites across Delhi, which includes 29 Government schools and 16 major construction sites.

“ Mobile units would be deployed in the districts to travel between different construction sites and register construction workers at the construction site itself so that workers don’t have to forego their daily wage,”  he added.

Sisodia said that massive awareness campaign is being launched at all ‘labour chowks’ with hoardings, posters and handbills distribution to encourage more and more construction workers to register at registration camps in their nearby locations.

“ There are many workers whose registration has lapsed, and they have been duly informed about renewing their membership. The registration camps will operate from 22nd February to 22nd March, Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. Construction workers can visit registration camps for new registration, renewals, and verification process of registration,”  he added.

Under different schemes of Delhi Government, workers can get `3-5 lakh for construction of house, `30,000 under maternity benefit scheme, `20,000 as loan for the purchase of work related tools and `5,000 as grant for the purchase of work related tools.

A senior Delhi government official said that other than this, workers’ family get assistance of `1 lakh in case of natural death and `2 lakh in case of death due to accident.

“ They may also avail `1 lakh in case of permanent total disability and a disability pension of `3,000 per month. Under education schemes, they can avail benefits between `500 to `10,000 per month for the school education and higher education of their children. In other schemes, the workers can get `35,000- 51,000 as financial assistance for marriage, and `3,000 per month as pension benefit,”  he said.