SRINAGAR: The Labour Department, J&K 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, J&K, Abdul Rashid Var said 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.
In Jammu division, the stranded labourers have been asked to contact Raman Sharma, Labour Officer on 7006382985, Pawan Kumar Bhatti, Labour Officer on 9419805327, Roshan Lal, Labour Officer on 9419211429 and Shivika Sharma, Labour Officer on 7889663050.
The stranded labourers in Kashmir Division have been asked to contact Showkat Shafi, Inspector, on 8899546373, Ansar Ahmad, Inspector on 7006286174 and Mushtaq Ahmad Beigh, Inspector on 9697977487 for any assistance.
So far, 1103 calls involving 25127 labourers were received on these helpline numbers.
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.
To ensure their welfare, the government has already notified helpline numbers for Kashmir (Zameer Ahmed, Assistant Labour Commissioner on 9797172356) and Jammu (Sanjay Kumar Bhatt, Labour Officer on 9419424281).
The Labour Commissioner said around 193 calls have been received on these numbers so far involving 31083 migrant workers who raised their issues while seeking adequate arrangements for their stay.
He said the callers were informed about the SOP issued by the respective governments and the concerned state & UT officials were contacted in this regard for timely help.
