'Mazdoor Card' launched to facilitate industrial workers: secretary.

FAISALABAD -- Secretary Labour and Human Resource Punjab Nabeel Javed said on Thursday that the 'Mazdoor Card' has been launched, in collaboration with the Bank of Punjab, to facilitate the secured industrial workers in the prevailing inflation.

Addressing the business community at Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), he said the ambit of the card would also be further enhanced to provide the secured industrial workers with subsidised food items, in addition to linking them with microfinance scheme of Akhuwat.

He said that steps were also underway to streamline provision of medical and education facilities to the workers' families and children. He said that system was also upgraded to ensure immediate payment of death, marriage and education grants. He said that the government was also contemplating to provide higher education to the workers' children in prestigious institutions of the country. He said that collection of contributions of the Punjab Employees Social Security Institution (PESSI) and Workers Welfare Fund (WWF) has been entrusted to the Punjab Revenue Authority. 'It would not only help check pilferage and evasion of contribution but also enable the Labour Department to extend maximum facilities to workers,' he added.

The secretary labour also announced formation of consultative committees of the FCCI and departments concerned to check alleged harassment of small factory owners in addition to redressing complaints regarding maladministration of PESSI and WWF. He said that the minutes of the meeting would be shared with the FCCI to solve industrialists' problems according to the ground reality. He also promised to notify the committees and give representation to the FCCI in...