Each district in KP to have complaint cell

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to set up a Complaint Cell under the provincial Labour Department at each district to address the problems faced by the labourers.

He was addressing a briefing session on the education wing of Directorate of Labour and Workers Welfare Board. Provincial Minister for Labour and Culture Shaukat Ali Yousafzai has directed the Labour Department to ensure the payment of the minimum wage to the worker (Rs17,500) as decided by the government and not to accept any pressure on registration of labourers with the social security.

The minister was told that millions of rupees are paid every year to the children of registered labourers under educational scholarships. He said if the owners of the factories or other organizations refuse to register workers with social security, the workers can send their data and the name of the company to the Compliant Cell on 0919211546.

The minister said in addition to dowry and death grants to registered labourers, their children will receive educational scholarships, labour pensions and death pensions. He said that the owner would raise the death compensation from Rs 300,000 to Rs 500,000.

Shaukat Yousafzai said that the labourers would be paid by the bank to ensure minimum wages. He directed Director Labour to collect the data of labourers working in all industrial units, leaseholders, hotels and commercial plazas in the province. The kiln labourers will also be provided concessions for all benefits.

The minister said that it was a matter of concern for the government departments not to comply with the government-appointed wages for their project employees and this will be brought into the notice of Chief Minister Mahmood Khan. He said it is the government responsibility to implement Labour laws and amend the laws. The minister directed that training sessions and seminars should be held in the Labour Colonies instead of industrial units to relieve the pressure on employers.