Dispur begins registering 1 crore workers in unorganized sector

Registration drive aimed at providing benefits of welfare schemes; mes of workers not figuring in fil NRC or voters list will be struck off database

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Feb 18: In order to prepare a database of workers in the unorganized sector and help them avail of benefits of different welfare schemes, the State government has started the process of registering unorganized workers.

On this issue, a meeting was chaired by State Labour Minister Pallab Lochon Das here few days back. According to official sources, the State has estimated around one crore workers in the unorganized sector. Due to non-registration of this huge workforce, still a huge section of workers in the unorganized sector is still out of the ambit of these welfare schemes.

It may be mentioned that these welfare schemes of the government include social security and health schemes. Through the registration process, lakhs of people toiling in the State as plumbers, masons, tailors, job card holders, etc. will be included in the database of workers. There are around 60 lakh MGNREGA job card holders in the State and they will also be treated as unorganized workers.

Sources, however, stated that if the me of such an unorganized sector worker doesn’t find place in the fil NRC or voter’s list, his or her me will be deleted from the database, despite registration of that particular worker earlier.

According to government records up to December 2014, Assam has 11 lakh workers in the organized sector (both public and private). The State also has 15 lakh registered unemployed people who are not classified by any occupation.

Sources further informed that the registration process will be outsourced to make the overall task of registration smooth and faster.