Provincial Minister for Labour, Haji Ehsaan-ud-Din Qureshi has said that government will provide required funds for the completion of ongoing development projects launched by the labour department, whereas new welfare schemes would also be initiated for provision of modern residential facilities to labourers.
He said that a labour colony consisting of 1,296 houses is being constructed for workers on Defence Road Lahore at a cost of rupees 2,177 million and 70 percent construction work on this project has been completed. Ehsaan-ud-Din said that government is giving top priority to eliminate the menace of bonded labour in brick kilns and combating worst forms of child labour in the province.
He informed that the department is launching extension of elimination of bonded labour in brick kilns projects in eight additional districts at a cost of Rs 180 million whereas Rs 138 million would be spent for combating worst forms of child labour in four districts of province.
He further said that Rs 100 million would be utilised for the establishment of labour market information and resource centre for the welfare of labour community. He also said that all basic and modern residential facilities will be available to the workers in Defence Labour Colony and welfare schools will be set up for the children of workers. He added that free education including books, stationery, transport and uniform are also being provided to 28,000 children of workers in 46 workers welfare schools of the province. The minister informed that the welfare board is bearing all educational expenses of the children of workers in six districts of Punjab.