VIJAYAWADA: The State government has highlighted its two-year record in advancing workers’ welfare, pledging dignity and protection for both organised and unorganised labour.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s administration has sought to revive the construction sector, strengthen industrial safety, and modernise health services, while ensuring financial support for workers and their families.
Officials noted that ‘Labour Addas’ are being established in major cities such as Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Rajahmundry, Guntur, and Nellore. These integrated centers will provide clean drinking water, rest facilities, toilets, job information, and details of welfare schemes.
Workers can report there daily, secure employment opportunities, and use downtime for skill training. The initiative is intended to transform daily wage earners from vulnerable job seekers into recognised partners in state development.
The government has also revived welfare schemes that had stalled in recent years. Registered construction workers now receive Rs 20,000 in maternity assistance, Rs 40,000 as marriage support, and financial aid in cases of accidental or natural death, including Rs 60,000 for funeral expenses. Free medical check-ups are also being extended to labour families.Industrial safety has been prioritised with strict inspections and enforcement. In July 2024, special safety audits led to action against 23 factories for violations.
New programmes such as ‘Safety Alert’ and ‘Incident Alert’ have been introduced, while proposals are in place to appoint chemical inspectors for hazardous industries.
Partnerships with universities like JNTU and SVU have enabled third-party safety audits across 360 industries and hundreds of mock drills, positioning Andhra Pradesh as a national model in workplace safety. Health services for insured workers have undergone modernisation.
A new ESI hospital has been launched at Achyutapuram, while Tirupati’s facility has expanded to 100 beds. Land has been allocated for new hospitals in Guntur, Kurnool, Sri City, and Nellore.
Visakhapatnam has secured approval for a 50-seat ESIC medical college, and proposals are underway for a 500-bed super-speciality hospital and medical college in Amaravati.
Pending surgical equipment purchases worth Rs 78 lakh have been cleared, and mobile apps such as My Health and e-Aushadhi are being used to ensure transparent distribution of medicines.
The State has government emphasised that its approach combines industrial growth with worker safety and welfare.