The Uttarakhand government on Saturday transferred nearly ₹11 crore to more than 4,400 beneficiaries under various welfare schemes operated by the Uttarakhand Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board.
The assistance was credited directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts through direct benefit transfer (DBT) during a programme held at the Chief Minister’s residence. Workers received financial support under schemes related to post-marriage assistance, maternity benefits, education support and death grants.
The state government said the initiative was aimed at strengthening the social security framework for registered construction workers and their families.
Push for wider outreach
During the programme, Chief Minister Dhami urged the labour department to intensify awareness campaigns and organise more welfare camps across districts to ensure that eligible workers are linked with government schemes.
He also encouraged officials to improve last-mile delivery mechanisms by arranging distribution of essential materials near workers’ job sites to make access more convenient.
The Chief Minister emphasised the need for:
- Regular health screening camps for workers
- Educational support for workers’ dependent children
- Distribution of essential household materials
- Greater use of information technology in scheme implementation
- Transparent beneficiary verification systems
He said governance reforms and technology-enabled welfare delivery were important to ensure timely and targeted benefits for labourers working in the unorganised sector.
₹93 crore disbursed in one year
A press note shared by the state government said that the welfare board had distributed ₹93.06 crore to 24,323 workers under multiple welfare programmes during the last one year.
The schemes are designed to provide financial assistance during emergencies and key life events while also improving long-term social protection for construction workers.
The programme was attended by Kailash Pant, state advisor to the contractual board, Geeta Rawat, chairperson of the vigilance committee, Mohini Pokhariya, vice-chairperson of the state vigilance committee, Additional Secretary Vineet Kumar, Deputy Labour Commissioner Vipin Kumar, Assistant Labour Commissioner Shailesh Sati and senior technical expert Durga Chamoli.
Labour Commissioner Prakash Chandra Dumka conducted the programme.
