Jharkhand: Lakhs of workers rescued in 2.5 years, Rs 2 Cr paid as pending wages 

Migration centre at Gumla, West Singhbhum and Dumka

Ranchi, July 20: Lakhs of workers stranded in different parts of the country and abroad have returned due to the active support of Jharkhand government on the instruction of chief minister Hemant Soren in the last two and half years.

In addition pending payment of Rs 2 crore has also been given to the stranded workers.

Following the instructions of the chief minister and the joint efforts made by the department of labour and the state migrant control room not only ensured the safe return of the workers but also guaranteed that they are made to be paid their outstanding wages.

Between 27 March 2020 to 30 June 2022, a massive sum of Rs 2,27,16,858.62 was paid to 3,108 labourers and workers as pending wages by the respective contractors and agencies after being pressurised from the state government. Also, a sum of Rs 6,39,31,972 was paid to the families of 168 workers posthumously by the state government.

Registration, awareness and publicity is being done by the State Migrant Control Room in each of the 24 districts of Jharkhand regarding labour registration and migrant registration in the Shramadhan portal of the Department of Labour, Government of Jharkhand.

“This shall ensure the migrants are rendered with their rights and are also connected to a host of benefits through the medium of various schemes being run for them. Apart from the awareness work that the State Migrant Control Room is doing in terms of Labour and Migrant Registration efforts are also being made to rescue the migrant laborers, ensuring the outstanding wages are paid to them and also in case of any mishaps the dead bodies of the migrants is brought back to their homeland,” said labour department official.

Apart from this a host of other measures like linking the benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Pension Scheme, Ration Scheme is also being done.

Also, to take the initiatives of safe and responsible migration further, the Safe and Responsible Migration Centres are being set up in three districts of the state which includes Gumla, West Singhbhum and Dumka.

Migration Centres are also set to be launched in other states like Kerala and Leh.

The campaign which was launched last year to extend help to the laborer is still going on. For this, the State Migrant Control Room is continuously active. Seven landlines and five whatsapp numbers have been issued for the workers. These numbers are – 0651-2481055, 0651-2480058, 0651-2480083, 0651-2482052, 0651-2481037,0651-2481188,18003456526, 9470132591, 9431336427, 9431336398, 9431336472, 9431336432.