ROURKELA: Over 56,000 construction workers of Sundargarh district have been deprived of the financial benefit of Rs 1500 as COVID-19 relief announced by the State Government as their labour cards have not been renewed. Even as the existing list of about 1.12 lakh OB & CWWB beneficiaries is beset by the presence of ghost beneficiaries, those seeking renewal of labour cards continue to be duped by unscrupulous persons, both in urban and rural pockets.
On April 10, the Plant Site police had arrested a trade union activist Kailash Chandra Barik for posing as a labour officer and collecting Rs 300 to Rs 400 for renewal of labour cards. Sundargarh Zilla Parishad president Emma Ekka said Sakuntala Oram, Mertanti Bara and several other construction workers of Relaposh of Nuagaon block were recently duped of Rs 800 to Rs 1200 for card renewal that would entitle them for the COVID-19 relief of Rs 1500 and other financial benefits.
The ZP president said she would draw attention of the district administration to reach out to these construction workers and get their labour cards renewed. Former secretary of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC), Rashmi Ranjan Padhi alleged that 45 trade unions, many with dubious credentials, were authorised to enroll construction workers and their members illegally.
“With lucrative benefits of labour cards now being cut, these unscrupulous trade union members stopped reaching out to the beneficiaries leaving a whopping numbers of card renewal pending”, he said. District Labour Officer Pranab Patra said those left out can get their labour card renewed online. On ghost beneficiaries, the officer said action will be against anyone found holding the labour cards illegally after receipt of complaint.