Rs 5,000 each for 10 lakh construction workers in Delhi

NEW DELHI: With construction activities temporarily banned in Delhi and workers staring at loss of wages, Delhi government has announced a subsistence allowance of Rs 5,000 each for nearly 10 lakh registered labourers.
The amount, said officials, will be transferred in bank accounts of construction workers in the next few days. The AAP government had provided similar financial assistance to these workers twice in the last financial year also - when construction activities were stopped due to deteriorating air quality and the third wave of Covid-19. More than seven lakh registered construction workers had benefited from it.
Announcing the decision, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: "Construction activities have been stopped across Delhi in view of pollution. I have directed labour minister Manish Sisodia to give Rs 5000 per month as financial support to each construction worker during this period," adding that his government will spend Rs 500 crore on the scheme.
Senior Delhi government officials said there was anxiety among workers following the ban on construction and demolition activities.
The ban on construction activities was announced by environment minister Gopal Rai on October 30 under phase three of Graded Response Action Plan against deteriorating air quality due to pollution. The Delhi government has formed 586 teams to monitor the ban on construction works. TNN