THOOTHUKUDI: With a 2023 direction for the constitution of the Tamil Nadu Salt Pan Workers’ Welfare Board yet to be complied with, the labour department has for yet another year commenced distribution of the monsoon relief for salt pan workers through the state manual workers welfare board.
Complaining that several of the 12,748 beneficiary families identified in Thoothukudi alone would miss out on the annual financial assistance due to the absence of a dedicated board, worker unions demand its immediate constitution so that salt pan workers across the state receive “all benefits due” to them. In 2022, the state government launched the monsoon relief assistance scheme providing a sum of Rs 5,000 each to 16,562 families working in salt pans across the state.
During the northeast monsoon season from October to December, production at salt pans across the state would be halted due to the rains, leaving the workers with no job. While the state government released Rs 6.37 crore towards the disbursement of the relief this year and the same is being credited to the bank accounts of the salt pan workers in Thoothukudi since Friday, a 2023 GO for the constitution of the TN Salt Pan Workers’ Welfare Board has seen little progress. Official sources said that while a committee to form the welfare board was formed comprising representatives from various associations, the panel is yet to convene a meeting to discuss its constitution.
Unorganised Workers Federation state vice president M Krishnamoorthy said that the state government must constitute the welfare board immediately to uphold the basic rights of the workers. “Only a few salt pan workers have received the monsoon relief based on their registration with the manual workers’ welfare board. Hence a new membership drive should be conducted for the salt pan workers’ welfare board, he added. Salt workers’ union (CITU) secretary K Ponraj, who is a member of the committee responsible for the formation of the dedicated welfare board, said that no formal meeting has yet been convened by the panel.
“The board can discuss the issues concerning salt pan workers and implementation of the welfare schemes. Financial assistance can be disbursed properly to every salt pan worker only when a board is effectively operated,” he said. When enquired, a senior official told TNIE that the government has initiated steps to formulate the TN Salt Pan Workers’ Welfare Board.