Concrete measures will be taken to curb child labour: Punjab CM

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar chaired a meeting to review the performance of the Labour Department at the CM office on Sunday.

Addressing the meeting, he said that a Labour Tower would be constructed in Lahore under the supervision of the Labour Department. He also directed to review the proposal of setting up of hostels for the labourers and industrial workers.

It was principally decided in the meeting to turn Punjab Employees Social Security Institution and Punjab Workers Welfare Funds into smart organisations. The meeting further decided that COMSATS would establish a campus on the land of the Labour Department in Defence Lahore where 30 per cent of children of labour and workers would get free education.

He further directed the authorities concerned to take solid measures for curbing child labour. Usman Buzdar said that land of the Labour Department worth 2 billion rupees had been evacuated from the Qabza Mafia.

Similarly, 144 flats of labourers and workers in Sheikhupura, Kot Chatha and other areas got vacated from Qabza Mafia as well. He maintained that the minimum wage of the workers in Punjab had been fixed to Rs 20 thousand, adding that incumbent government, during its two and a half year tenure, had given raise of Rs 5000 in the minimum wage of labourers and workers.

He said that free of cost medical facilities had been provided to a common man in Social Security Hospitals of Lahore and Muzaffargarh. Usman Buzdar directed to complete the construction of 720 flats project for the workers and labours at the earliest.

He said that Social Security Hospitals were being constructed in Taunsa, Sargodha and Faisalabad, whereas the cardiology department had been established in Khawaja Farid Social Security Hospital in Multan for the labours.

As many as 98 per cent of payments were made online for Social Security Card. He said that the marriage grant had been increased from one lakh to two lakh. Similarly, the amount under the head of death grant had also been increased from five lakh to six lakh.

Free online service was being provided for the registration of factories. The meeting also reviewed the proposal of setting up of PESSI Medical College and Nursing School.