Daily wagers, kin lose out on benefits

The kin of the victims are losing out on statutory benefits, mainly due to ignorance over the benefits including monetary aid, health insurance, monthly pensions, etc., extended by the government.

Manherial: Accidents caused by lack of safety measures at worksites claiming the lives of daily wage earners have become a routine affair. However, families of victims of such worksite mishaps are unable to avail of the social security or welfare schemes extended by the government in the event of accidental deaths.

Recently, family members of three daily wage earners killed in a wall collapse in Mancherial town had to be content with a nominal compensation of Rs 6.5 lakh each received after holding marathon consultations with the owner of the building and the builder.

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The kin of the victims are losing out on statutory benefits, mainly due to ignorance over the benefits including monetary aid, health insurance, monthly pensions, etc., extended by the government.

According to construction, centring, plumbers and building workers associations, Mancherial town alone has around 50,000 daily wage earners who migrated from several parts of Kumram Bheem Asifabad, Peddapalli, Jagtial and neighbouring Maharashtra to the district headquarters in search of livelihood.

Bellampalli, Thandur, Chennur, Luxettipet, Naspur, Ramakrishnapur mandals account for at least 5,000 daily wage earners each. However, barely 61,124 daily wage earners have registered their names with the Labour Department in Mancherial district, according to officials. Of them, 33,344 were males, while females accounted for 27,772.

A total of 20,946 earners did not renew their cards. Presently, the district has 40,178 recognised daily wage labourers, who possess e-Shram cards issued by the government enabling them to get the benefits.

Sources said that unions ‘ leaders misled the daily wage labourers by stating that they could avail of the benefits only if they joined an association.

The labourers are confused and are facing problems from the leaders. They are not showing interest in registering their names with the Labour Department and applying for e- Shram cards.

As a result, their dependents are missing benefits and experiencing hardships in cases of accidental deaths,officials said.