Mancherial: Kin of daily wage earners lose social security benefits, welfare schemes

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.

Mancherial: 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. 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.

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According to construction, centring, plumbers and building workers associations, Mancherial town alone has around 50,000 daily wage earners migrated from several parts of Kumram Bheem Asifabad, Peddapalli, Jagtial and the 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 laborers, who posses e-Shram cards issued by the government enabling them to get the benefits.

Sources said that leaders of the unions mislead the daily wage laborers by stating that they could avail the benefits only if they join an association. The labourers are confused and are facing problems from the leaders. They are not showing interest to register their names with the labour department and to apply for e-Shram cards. As a result, their dependents are missing the benefits and experiencing hardships in cases of accidental deaths, officials said.

Statutory benefits for kin of worksite mishap victims

Rs 6 lakh for accidental death

As per Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008, Labour department provides Rs 6 lakh to kin of victims and Rs.30,000 towards funerals in case of accidental death, while Rs 1 lakh and Rs 30,000 is sanctioned in case of normal death

Rs 5 lakh for physical disability

A financial assistance of up to Rs 5 lakh is extended to daily wage earner if he or she becomes a physically disabled person in an accident

Rs 30,000 for wedding of daughter

A daily wage earner can get Rs 30,000 at the time of wedding of his or her daughter. An earner is eligible to receive Rs 30,000 for delivery of their daughters. He or she can claim it twice per daughter

Rs 3,000 monthly pension

The daily wage laborers or workers of any organized sector can avail monthly pension of Rs 3,000 age after attaining the age of 60 under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) pension scheme

Rs 5 lakh annual health cover

Family of a daily wage earner can utilize annual health cover of Rs 5 lakh under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization corresponding to 1,949 treatment procedures across 27 specialties

How to get e-Shram card

The daily wage laborers aged between 18 and 60 can avail the benefits only if they enroll their names with labor department and obtain an E-Shram card by paying Rs 110 per annum

Where to get e-Shram card

Daily wage earners can easily get the card within 7 to 10 days by applying for it at any Mee-Seva centre or by visiting website https://eshram.gov.in/ by furnishing copies of ration card, Aadhar card and passbook of bank account and two passport-sized photographs