Raipur. Regarding the activities and achievements of the Labour Department, Labour Minister Shri Lakhanlal Dewangan informed in a press conference today that the divisions under the department have registered 11.40 lakh workers in the last two years, which includes approximately 9.4 lakh construction workers, 1.39 lakh unorganized workers and 98 thousand organized workers.
In the last two years, 29,55,254 workers have been benefited with an amount of Rs. 804.77 crore under a total of 71 schemes operated by the divisions under the department. Out of these, 28,49,167 construction workers have been benefited with approximately Rs. 653.75 crore, 91,595 unorganized workers with approximately Rs. 143.77 crore, and 14,592 organized workers with Rs. 7.24 crore. The department is transferring the benefits payable to the workers directly into their accounts through centralized DBT.
The Minister stated that under the Ease of Doing Business system, factories are being inspected through an automated system. In the past two years, a total of 2,218 inspections of factories in the state have been conducted under the Factories Act. 666 prosecutions have been filed against factory managements in the Honorable Labor Court for violations, and fines totaling more than ₹5 crore have been collected.
He stated that the number of insured workers under the Employees' State Insurance Act has increased from 4.60 lakh to 6.26 lakh in the past two years. 100-bed hospitals operate in Raipur, Korba, Raigarh, and Bhilai, and action is underway to open a hospital in Bilaspur soon. Similarly, 43 dispensaries operate in the state, and the process to open four new dispensaries is underway.
Minister Shri Dewangan said that the department has implemented all 17 reforms recommended by the Government of India and prescribed under Business Reforms in the interest of the workers and employers of the state. To provide exemption to small traders, the Chhattisgarh Shops and Establishment Act, 2017 read with Rules, 2021 has been implemented on institutions employing 10 or more workers. He said that provision has been made for a new category of employees, "Fixed Term Employment Workers", who will receive the same salary, allowances and other facilities as regular employees. In view of women empowerment, women workers have been given the right to conditional employment in night shifts. The period of factory license has been increased from 10 to 15 years.
The Minister informed that the Ministry of Labor and Employment, Government of India, has implemented four new labor codes to replace 29 old labor laws. Under these codes, the process of formulating four new rules is underway in the state. As a result of the new codes, workers' interests will be better protected. Benefits include an appointment letter for every worker, the right of women workers to work in all types of employment, improved minimum wages for workers, annual health checkups by employers, and the establishment of a National Social Security Board for the welfare and social security of gig and platform workers.
Regarding the department's upcoming action plan, the Labor Minister informed that a bill has been passed again in the State Assembly to apply the Chhattisgarh Shops and Establishments Act to shops and establishments employing 20 or more workers and has been submitted for the Honorable President's approval.
Under the Employees' State Insurance Services, the Raigarh, Kumhari, and Birgaon dispensaries will be upgraded and developed as model dispensaries. Dewangan stated that a separate scheme will be launched for health checkups for registered construction workers. A new scheme, the Atal Career Nirman Yojana, will be launched to provide coaching for competitive exams for higher education to the children of registered construction workers.
The Shaheed Veernarayan Singh Shramik Anna Yojana will be expanded by establishing Shramik Anna Kendras in all districts. To strengthen the grievance redressal and public awareness system, messaging facilities, mobile number verification, and AI-enabled agents will be implemented, enabling workers to receive updated grievance redressal information from home through the departmental portal. Finally, Minister Dewangan thanked all media personnel. Additional Labor Commissioner S.L. Jangde, Mrs. Savita Mishra, Secretary of the Chhattisgarh Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, Mr. Girish Ramteke, and Director-in-Charge of Industrial Health and Safety, Mr. Manish Srivastava were present on the occasion.