Bhubaneswar, Sep 10: Yesterday Odisha CM, Naveen Patnaik announced a pension scheme for construction laborers who once they reach the age of 60 will be able to receive the benefits.
The scheme says that the workers at the age of 60 are entitled to get a monthly pension of Rs 300 and workers above 80 years will get Rs 500 as pension per month.
The launch programme was held at the Odisha University of Agriculture and technology here where the CM declared that the workers will receive the benefits regardless of being registered with the Odisha Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board. Along with this, the CM also said that the ruling state government had the housing grant of Rs 1 lakh for the construction workers in rural areas under the Nirman Shramik Pucca Ghar Yojana last year whose amount has now been raised upto Rs 1.30 lakh. Also, widows and differently-abled construction workers will also be getting the monthly pension.
The state government aims to enroll around 25 lakh construction workers under the said scheme. The Chief Minister also advised the Board to include more workers under this scheme. As many as 1000 beneficiaries were handed over work order for construction of houses.
In addition to this, the state government has raised the maternity benefit from earlier Rs 8000 to Rs10000 and assistance for the treatment of seriously ill workers has been increased to Rs 3 lakh.
