Punjab Labour Department Transforms 2024

Labour Department’s Pro-Worker Initiatives Transform Punjab in 2024

Worker Welfare and Administrative Digitization Take Center Stage

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Labour Department has undertaken numerous pro-worker initiatives in 2024, significantly improving the ease of access to welfare schemes and services. Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond shared details of these achievements, emphasizing the government’s commitment to worker welfare and administrative digitization.

The department has digitized all its services and industrial schemes, making them accessible with a single click. These include processes like the approval of building plans, factory registrations, license grants and renewals, and the registration of trade unions and construction sites. Workers can now also claim benefits from welfare boards and submit annual returns online, streamlining administrative processes.

The Punjab Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board introduced reforms to simplify registration and welfare schemes. Forms are now available in Punjabi, and applicants receive SMS notifications in case of objections to their submissions. Labour inspectors must process registrations within 14 days, ensuring prompt service delivery.

The board simplified schemes such as the Stipend Scheme, LTC Scheme, and Shagun Scheme, enabling quicker access to benefits. The board’s efforts earned it the SKOCH Award 2024 for policy formulation and implementation. Notably, it disbursed ₹102.23 crore to 67,549 workers in 2022-23 and ₹97.29 crore to 41,155 workers in 2023-24. This fiscal year, ₹19.53 crore has already been distributed among construction workers.

Additionally, the Punjab Labour Welfare Board distributed ₹15.36 crore among 5,145 beneficiaries in 2024. The department registered 57,75,402 workers on the e-Shram portal for unorganized workers and established help desks in district offices to assist workers with registration and welfare schemes.

The Labour Department also enhanced its outreach by launching social media accounts on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook to update citizens on its activities.

Through these measures, the Mann Government continues to empower Punjab’s workforce, ensuring their rights and welfare are safeguarded.