The Punjab government has restored Rs 3.5 billion annual grant of workers welfare fund which will be distributed among workers in whole of Punjab. Labour and Human Resources Minister Ansar Majeed Khan distributed cheques of Rs21 million among workers at a ceremony at Bata Factory on Monday. These included 185 cheques of scholarship grant, 77 of marriage grant and 11 of death grant.

Additional Secretary Labour Dr Sohail Shahzad, Secretary Punjab Welfare Fund Ahmar Naik, MD Bata Factory, DG Labour Shaikh Farooq Hameed, Union Leaders of Bata Factory and many employees were also there.

The Labour Minister said that the release of huge amount of workers welfare fund is a big achievement of PTI government. The government will ensure payment of wages to employees on time. We will ensure provision of rights to the employees according to the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

He said that the workers should feel pride in being workers. We are trying to shift labour department from manual working to automation; we will make social security card more powerful than identity card for workers. He said that it was an injustice with workers for not implementing the welfare fund even after 18th amendment.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019