Jammu, Feb 06 (KNS): Day long protest demonstration of Construction Workers under the banner of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) was held today here at Bhagat Singh Park in Kathua.
Hundreds of workers holding red flags in their hands were chanting slogans against the neo-liberal policies of the successive governments.
The protest demonstration was addressed by Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, State President CITU and MLA.
Demanding the registration of labourers in J&K Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board be made through registered labour unions instead of the brokers/middlemen, he said that the registration process takes months together which has become den of corruption and eligible labourers are denied the entitled benefits of the scheme.
He demanded that registration process be made time-bound, minimum wages for the workforce should be enhanced to Rs.18000/- per month in view of the price escalation and Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) paid on the pattern of other states across the country.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
He said that the unemployment has assumed alarming proposition in the state and nothing concrete has been devised in the budget to tackle this crucial problem. The funds under Self Employment programme are insufficient in view of this alarming situation which needs to be enhanced substantially.
Later the demonstration marched towards DC office and handed over a memorandum of demands which include simplifying the registration process, enhancement of monthly wages to Rs. 18,000/-, J&K Building and Other Construction Board be covered under PSGA, inclusion of workers under BPL category, providing of pension etc.
Other leaders of CITU who spoke on the occasion include Sham Prasad Kesar, Raj Kumar, Jagdesh Raj Sharma, Romesh Chand. (KNS)