Odisha CM reviews major activities of Labour & ESI Dept

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today reviewed the major activities of Labour & ESI Department, in the 3^rd Floor Conference Hall of Lokseva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar.

Initiating the discussion, Hon’ble Minister, Labour & ESI, Odisha stated that the Department under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister has taken many initiatives for fulfillment of the commitments of the State Government in Election Manifesto, 2019 of the Government and highlighted the achievements on Mo Sarkar, 5T Charter and other initiatives of Labour & ESI Department, Odisha. The details are as follows:

1)        EMPOWERING OUR WORKFORCE IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND UNORGANISED SECTOR

             v Odisha Building & Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board has contributed a lot in improving the socio-economic standard of the construction workers and their family members of the State by covering them under social security scheme. This is first such Welfare Board under the Labour & ESI Department for the unorganised sector workers. During the period from 15^th December, 2008 to 30^th April, 2023, more than 38.40 lakh construction workers have been registered as beneficiaries under the Board and more than Rs. 2961.52 crore benefits have been disbursed under different welfare Schemes, out of Rs. 3661.14 crore cess collected. 

v To initiate interventions for migrant workers at grass root level, a State Action Plan is being implemented to track the migrant worker, strengthen inter-state coordination and ensure linkage with livelihood initiatives and welfare schemes. Recently, an online voluntary registration module has been developed for the migrant workers. Module has been developed in PAReSHRAM Portal to facilitate voluntary registration of migrant workers. To extend timely assistance to Odia migrant workers in destination states, Odisha Migrant Labour Help Desks in the State of Telengana, Andhra Pradesh and New Delhi and Odisha Migrant Labour Assistance Centre in Surat have been set up. Apart from this, 1,07,330 migrant construction workers have been registered under OB&OCWW Board as beneficiaries.

v In order to cover the unorganised workers of the State under social security protection, Odisha Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Board has been constituted and more than 3.65 lakh unorganized workers have been registered so far. Online modules have been launched under the Board w.e.f. 1^st May, 2023 so as to facilitate end-to-end service delivery for registration and benefit disbursement. Proposal for registering all categories of eligible unorganized workers and their inclusion under need based social security schemes of the Board as well as other Line Departments are under active consideration of Government

2)           MO SARKAR:
Nirman Shramik Kalyan Yojana being one of the flagship programmes of the State Government, five services e.g. Marriage Assistance, Maternity Benefit, Educational Assistance, Death Assistance and Funeral Assistance under Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board have been included under ‘Mo Sarkar’ initiative. 

3)           TRANSFORMATIVE INITIATIVES UNDER 5T CHARTER :

v  The Labour Law compliance procedure for the business stakeholders has been made easier, simpler and hassle-free by intervention of PAReSHRAM Portal, facilitating fully automated system of service delivery, from filing of application to downloading of the final certificate including online payment of statutory fees. This portal ensures zero physical interference, transforming the e-Governance system from fully manual method to presence-less system of service delivery. It is also an information sharing platform for the start-ups and budding business entrepreneurs.Under the said Portal, 67 services are now available online. So far, more than 39,000 applications are received and more than 35,000 applications are approved through this portal. The Ministry of E&IT, Govt. of India has selected ‘PAReSHRAM’ as one of the 2 worthy examples of Digital transformation from Odisha. PAReSHRAM finds place in the GoI list in catalysing new India’s Techade.

v  Under 5T transformative initiative in Nirman Shramik Kalyan Yojana, online module “nirmanshramik.odisha.gov.in” with end-to-end service delivery for registration, renewal, resumption of membership and benefit disbursement and “Cess Module” for online deposit of cess by establishments have been made operational. For providing such online services under Nirman Shramik Kalyan Yojana at doorstep, all Mo-Seva Kendras have been integrated. The educational assistance is also being extended in convergence with State Scholarship Portal.

v  A Special package has been declared by Hon’ble Chief Minister to address distress migration, under which provision of additional 200 days of employment under MGNREGS has been made in 477 GPs of 20 blocks in 4 Migration prone districts e.g. Bolangir, Bargarh, Kalahandi and Nuapada with State budgetary allocation of Rs. 500 crore.

4)        OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:

v  Disbursement of Special Financial Assistance @ Rs.1500/- per beneficiary was made under Nirman shramik Kalyan Yojana to all active registered construction workers in two phases during COVID-19 pandemic. In the 1^st phase, an amount of Rs. 278.05 crore disbursed to 18.53 lakh active construction workers at their door steps through field level functionaries of the Blocks and ULBs. Similarly, during the 2^nd phase, an amount of Rs. 310.91 crore disbursed to 20.72 lakh active construction workers of the State in DBT mode.       

v  To promote Ease of Doing Business, labour reforms in shape of amendment of certain labour acts and rules, simplification of labour law compliance procedure, time bound public service delivery, delegation of authority, increasing threshold for applicability of certain acts and on-line service delivery etc. have been undertaken.

v  Digital maintenance of registers and records, submission of Combined Annual Return and on-line submission of applications for grant of registration, license, renewal, amendment, transfer, certification, enrolment and approval to the authorities electronically / on-line mode have been mandated by notification.

v  To step up activities for promoting entrepreneurship in the State and to avoid unnecessary time stretching litigation etc., notifications for auto generation of Certificate of Registration / License under certain Labour Acts have been issued.

v  The Odisha Labour Service Cadre has been restructured in the year 2018 by enhancing the cadre strength from 243 to 539, in order to make the presence of the Labour Directorate at Block and Sub-division level.

v  4946 factories are registered in the State with more than 5.60 lakh Licenced manpower.

v  The Odisha Shops & Commercial Establishments Act, 1956 has been amended in the year 2018 mandating display of Odia signages at prominent places by all shops and commercial establishments. For ensuring the same, special drives are being conducted throughout the State. 

v  The State Government has been providing health care services to more than 7.41 lakh Insured Persons and their family members under ESI Services through a network of 41 ESI Dispensaries and 4 ESI Hospitals in Odisha. Furthermore, 4 new hospitals have been approved at Paradeep, Balasore, Jharsuguda and Duburi and 12 new Dispensaries are under construction.