Migrants to get 20% wage hike, employment benefits after BRO-Jharkhand agreement

RANCHI: In the wake of the mass unemployment trends sweeping across India due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the Government of Jharkhand and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) have reached an agreement to ensure that labourers of the state get prescribed wages and healthcare, accident, travel allowance and housing benefits. According to an official statement by the state government, a total of 11.815 labourers from the Santhal Pargana region in Jharkhand will get an opportunity to work for BRO. Apart from this, they will also enjoy all the employment benefits.

A statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office in Jharkhand said that the deliberations between the two organisations began when Hemant Soren, Chief Minister, Jharkhand, visited the Birsa Munda Airport to meet the first batch of migrant labourers flying back to the state from Leh on May 29. While welcoming them, he heard the grievances of the labourers and the fact that they were forced to work in unsafe conditions and were not even given minimum wages by their employers.

Soren then set up a special team to initiate talks with BRO on the issue and reach an agreement soon. After days of deliberation, a written agreement under the Inter-State Labour Act, 1979, Workmen Compensation Act, 1923 was reached.

Following the agreement, the state government has permitted the BRO to engage labourers who will now get wages with a 20 per cent hike, which will be deposited in their accounts.

With the signing of the agreement, the role of middlemen has ended, the statement said.