THOOTHUKUDI: The labour welfare and skill development department on Friday issued a Government Order establishing the Tamil Nadu Salt Pan Workers' Welfare Board for unorganised salt pan workers in the state. The salt pan workers welcomed the separate welfare board stating that it would help empower the marginalised community.
As per the order, the Tamil Nadu Salt Pan Workers' Welfare Board has been constituted under section 6(1) of the Tamil Nadu Manual Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Work) Act, 1982 (Tamil Nadu Act 33 of 1982).
The board will function with around 9,809 salt pan workers who are already registered members of the Tamil Nadu Manual Workers Social Security and Welfare Board. Welfare schemes, measures and assistance provided for unorganised workers' welfare boards will be extended to the salt pan workers' welfare board, said the G.O, accessed by TNIE.
Commenting on the development, Unorganised Workers Federation (UWF) district coordinator M Krishnamurthy said the constitution of the welfare board is a 'vidiyal' (dawn) for the salt pan workers, which will undoubtedly ensure the rights they deserve, and help improve the economic conditions of the marginalised people, he added.
Even as the union government merged 44 labour laws into four labour codes, endangering labour rights and their social security, the constitution of a new board for unorganised workers is soothing, he said.
"It is a progressive step towards protecting labour rights. The Tamil Nadu government has set a good precedent for the country as salt pan workers in other states have no such benefits," said Geetha, the national coordinator of UWF. The advantage of the welfare board is that the workers will now receive special attention in connection with the issues affecting them, she added.
Speaking to TNIE, Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Minister Geetha Jeevan said that the constitution of the Tamil Nadu salt pan workers' welfare board will indeed help uplift the unorganised salt pan workers present in the coastal districts across the state. The board will benefit them through a number of schemes targeting the welfare of salt pan workers, especially the women who constitute 90% of the workers in the sector. The DMK government has thus fulfilled the two poll promises related to salt pan workers, including the monsoon relief of Rs 5,000 and the constitution of the welfare board, she said while thanking Chief Minister MK Stalin.
Tamil Nadu government now has 37 welfare boards, including 18 boards constituted under the Tamil Nadu Manual Workers Act, and 16 through various Government Orders, said sources.