Government to create data bank of migrant labourers

Thiruvananthapuram:  The Government proposes to introduce a comprehensive programme to create a data bank on migrant labourers in the State, said T. P. Ramakrishnan, Minister Labour and Excise, in the Assembly on Thursday.

There is no proper record of migrant labourers working in the State. As per the report of Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation there is an estimated presence of 25 lakh migrants in the State, he said in reply to a question from Eldho Abraham (CPI).

Kerala Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board has been running migrant labourers welfare scheme since 2010, under which 53,136 labourers are already registered.

‘Apna Ghar ‘, a project to provide accommodation to 768 people, under Labour Department Bhavanam Foundation Kerala has already been initiated in Palghat district. This project estimated to cost Rs. 8 crores is expected to be completed by 2016 October.  The project is under consideration to be extended to other districts including Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode.