Key Points

Speaking in the Assembly during a discussion on a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report for the financial year ending March 31, 2023 pertaining to the welfare of building and other construction workers, CM Gupta revealed that Rs 5,200 crore remained unused in the labour welfare fund, while thousands of workers continued to wait for essential support and benefits.

Highlighting what she termed the anti-worker mindset of the former administration, the Chief Minister noted that while the Central government provides registration and renewal services to workers completely free of charge, the Delhi government under the previous regime imposed fees Rs 25 for registration and Rs 20 for renewal.

"This unnecessary burden led to a situation where only 7 per cent of workers' data was renewed annually in Delhi, compared to 100 percent renewal at the national level," she said.

CM Gupta exposed what she called the negligent and anti-labour approach of the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. She said that it was only after the Supreme Court's intervention that the issue was brought to light, despite the Delhi Government sitting on thousands of crores meant for labour welfare.

The Chief Minister recalled how the Supreme Court rebuked the Delhi government, questioning why only Rs 2,000 had been given to each worker when the approved assistance was Rs 8,000.

"What happened to the remaining Rs 6,000?" the court had asked, underlining the failure to deliver the full benefits owed.

CM Gupta described it as deeply unfortunate that despite having rightful access to these schemes, lakhs of workers in Delhi were deprived of their entitlements.

She said the Rs 5,200 crore remained idle while the working class waited for relief. The Supreme Court eventually had to instruct the government to credit Rs 8,000 into the bank accounts of 90,000 eligible workers.

Quoting the CAG report, the Chief Minister detailed how funds allocated for various schemes such as maternity benefits, disability support, tool purchase, housing assistance, family pensions, accident compensation, and skill development remained either unutilised or grossly underutilised over several years.

"For instance, under the Tool Assistance Scheme, not a single worker received the promised Rs 20,000 between 2018 and 2024, despite the importance of such support in ensuring worker self-reliance," she said

"Similarly, financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh under the Permanent Disability Scheme saw zero disbursal for several consecutive years. In the case of medical assistance, no benefits were extended in the years 2018, 2019, 2022, or 2024 figures that the Chief Minister called 'shocking'," she said.

Other schemes such as coaching support, skill training, travel passes, and emergency aid for female workers during miscarriage were also reduced to mere token gestures. Reiterating the unfair registration and renewal charges, CM Gupta stated that such policies further discouraged workers from staying enrolled in the system.

- IANS