On the demand of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Punjab Employees Social Security Institution (Pessi) has decided to form mobile teams to issue Pessi cards to industrial workers. The decision was announced by the Commissioner Pessi Dr Sajid Yousafani while speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Monday.
LCCI office-bearers including Senior Vice President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, Vice President Mian Abuzar Shad and Director General Pessi Tariq Awan also spoke on the occasion. The Pessi Commissioner said that they are well aware about the delay in issuance of registration cards to industrial workers therefore the institution has decided to constitute mobile teams that would visit the respective industrial associations during every second week of the month and issue the cards to the new workers. He, however, made it clear that these Pessi teams would give their visit schedule to the respective associations well ahead of time.
Dr Sajid Yousafani also promised to include LCCI representative in all Pessi Committees including purchase committee of the social security institution. He said that the Pessi is going to introduce online contribution system very soon as pilot projects had already been launched in Shahdra and Sialkot that would hopefully be a great facilitation to the businessmen. To questions about delays in issuance of marriage/death grants, the Commissioner said that the necessary measures are being taken.
Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI Senior Vice President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh and Vice President Mian Abuzar Shad said that the business community strongly opposes increase in the wage ceiling from Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000. Keeping in the view the current economic situation of the country, it should be reviewed and brought back to the same denominator.
They said that initially the contribution to Pessi by the organisations was 0.2 percent on Rs 50,000 but now the rate has been increased up to 1 percent on Rs 100,000 which is again burdening the already pressured private sector. They said that only those labourers are covered under social security who meets a certain criteria whereas more labourers should be benefited from this system.
The LCCI office-bearers said that considering the rapid increase in the population of the country, it is depressing to see the appalling state of affairs of the paraphernalia provided for the health of workers. He said that additional penal code clauses related to workers seem to be overstressed. He proposed that the dealing of relevant cases to be done through available civil laws. He said that provision of marriage and death grants is an appreciable assistance but the attainment of this facility involves irksome processes which results in bottlenecking of this prospect. He proposed that a one-window operation should be introduced so that the attainment of this facility is not such an exhausting route to follow.