NEW DELHI: A total of Rs 4,957 crore has been disbursed as cash assistance to over 2 crore building and other construction workers (BOCW) during the lockdown period, the labour ministry said Tuesday.
“About 1.75 crore transactions were done directly into the bank accounts of the workers.
Apart from cash benefits ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 6,000 per worker, some of the states have also provided food and ration to their workers,” the statement added.The ministry had on March 24 issued an advisory to states to transfer funds to the BOCW through Direct Benefit Transfer from the construction cess created.
However, the ministry admitted that some BOCWs are out of range due to reasons such as their migratory nature, changing work-sites, low levels of literacy and awareness.
“The ministry has planned to launch a Mission Mode Project to fast-track the registration of the left-out workers, portability of benefits, universalisation of social security schemes on health insurance through PMJAY , life & disability cover through PMJJBY and PMSBY, pension during old age through PMSYMY and provision of transit accommodations in cities,” the statement said.