Provincial Minister for Mines and Minerals, Chaudhry Sher Ali Khan has said that 'Mines Labour Welfare (MLW) Organisation' is providing free educational and healthcare facilities to the children of the mines workers and their family members. The organisation has established four Mines Labour Welfare Boys Higher Secondary Schools in Sargodha Region whereas Mines Labour Welfare Girls High School Dandot, MLW Middle School Pidh, MLW Primary School Dhok Burj, Jehlum for provision of free education to the children of Miners along-with free books, uniforms, shoes and educational stipends.
He said this while presiding over a meeting to review the affairs of Mines Labour Welfare Organisation, last day. The meeting was informed that Mining Labour, being low-paid class of the society, is provided free-of-cost education in MLW Schools and their children are granted stipends on annual basis as well as.
The children of the Mines workers studying at different institutions are provided Rs3000/- per annum to pre-metric, Rs9600/- per annum to post-metric classes and students studying in Medical, Engineering, Graduation and Post-graduation are provided Rs18000/- per annum whereas, the students of Higher Education section are being given Rs24000/- per annum. The meeting was informed that Mining Labourers working in hazardous atmosphere in underground Mines and open quarries had to face risks of backbone injury and they are usually prone to lungs diseases.
To provide best possible healthcare facilities to these Mining Labourers, Mines Labour Welfare Organisation has established four hospitals and nine allied dispensaries in the main Mining Areas. Out of these two hospitals and two dispensaries are situated in Sargodha Region whereas two hospitals and seven dispensaries in Rawalpindi Region. The Minister was informed that Miners and their family members are issued Medical Identity Cards, to enable them to get free medical facilities from these Health Units.
The meeting was apprised that two Mobile X-Ray Units are established to provide X-Ray facilities to Mines workers for detection of occupational diseases.