Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 8: The Labour Department is working on a two-pronged strategy to ensure welfare of workers and migrants stuck in Jammu and Kashmir due to COVID-19 lockdown.
Labour Commissioner Abdul Rashid Var said that several initiatives are being taken by the administration to ensure good mental health of migrant labourers for which several counselling sessions are being organised.
“The counsellors have visited 142 camps and shelter homes across J&K where they have provided counselling to 5761 floating population of migrant labourers stuck in different parts of J&K,” he said.
Besides, the Labour Commissioner said 143866 Board and Other Construction Workers have been handed out Rs 1000 each amounting to Rs 14.36 crore. “We are leaving no stone unturned in reaching out to these workers who constitute the poor section of the society,” he said.
He said in Anantnag district the disbursement of Rs 1000 was made to 11463 workers, in Budgam to 8263 workers, in Bandipora to 9269, in Baramulla to 17566, in Doda to 4481, in Ganderbal to 5570, in Jammu to 12677, in Kargil to 3084, in Kishtwar to 4320, in Kathua to 3359, in Kulgam to 8479, in Kupwara to 12977, in Leh to 3090, in Poonch to 4529, in Pulwama to 6123, in Rajouri to 2053, in Ramban to 6781, in Reasi to 580, in Samba to 2446, in Shopian to 2433, in Srinagar to 10379, and in Udhampur the amount was disbursed in favor of 3944 workers.
He said the Labour Department has provided ration to 95,511 labourers in Jammu division and 27,491 in Kashmir Division, “The field functionaries have been strictly instructed to ensure no one is left without ration and drinking water,” he said.
To seek any assistance, the department has notified helpline numbers and the labourers have been asked to contact the concerned officers.
The concerned officers have been asked to liaise with the concerned authority for providing assistance and help to these stranded labourers.
Labour Commissioner said the J&K administration is also working tirelessly with different state and UT governments to help the migrant labourers of J&K stranded there.
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