The Himachal Pradesh government will provide an additional installment of Rs 2000 for the month of June to all the 1.37 lakh registered workers of HP Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (BOCW) as a relief to them keeping in view Corona pandemic.

This was announced by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while interacting with the beneficiaries of HP Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board through video conference from here today.

The Chief Minister said that the state government has already provided Rs 2000 each to the beneficiaries for the month of April and May, 2020. With this amount, the beneficiaries would get an additional amount of Rs 27.42 crore.

He said that the workers were playing a major role in nation building and development of the country and their well being was a commitment of the state government.

Thakur said that as many as 1,37,119 workers have been registered under this Board and the government was providing them various benefits. He said that any worker between the age group of 18 to 60 years with at least 90 days work experience either as MNREGA or as BOCW in the past 12 months could register themselves with the Board to derive benefits of the various schemes started by the Board for their welfare.

The Chief Minister announced enhancement in marriage assistance of registered workers and for their two unmarried children from Rs 35000 to Rs 51000. He said that with this increase of about Rs 20 crore was likely to be incurred during the current financial year by the Board.

Thakur said that the Board was also providing education claims/assistance to children of the registered workers. He said that Rs 15 crore was being spent during the year 2019-20 whereas Rs 20 crore was likely to be spent during the current financial year.

He also announced an increase in the education assistance up to two children of the registered workers. He said that now from 1st to 8th standard the assistance for girl students would be enhanced from Rs 7000 to Rs 8000 and for boy students Rs 3000 to Rs 5000. He said that 9th to 12th standard girl students would be provided Rs 11000 instead of Rs. 10000 and boy students Rs 8000 instead of Rs 6000 per annum. He said that in graduation classes the girl students would now be provided Rs 16000 in place of Rs 15000 and for boy students it would be Rs. 12000 in place of 10000, whereas for post graduate and diploma courses the girl beneficiary would be given Rs 21,000 instead of Rs 20000 and boys Rs. 17000 instead of Rs. 15000. Similarly the girls pursuing medical/engineering/Ph.D would be provided Rs 36000 in place of Rs. 35000 and boys Rs. 27000 instead of Rs. 25000.

Thakur also interacted with registered workers from almost all the districts of the state.

Industry Minister Bikram Singh Thakur said that the Board has spent Rs 49.13 crore during the previous financial year on welfare schemes for the registered workers which was the highest amount ever. He said that in addition to this, Rs. 7.33 crore have been disbursed to the registered workers as various claims during the month of March-May, 2020.