Odisha government announces incentives for construction workers

BHUBANESWAR: After announcing a Rs 20,000 crore project for the providing pucca shelters to all in the state, Odisha government has declared incentives for 'Construction workers'.

Addressing the district collectors conference that concluded yesterday, chief minister Naveen Patnaik announced increase in the marriage assistance amount for construction workers' children to Rs 25, 000 from Rs 20,000. Similarly, the maternity benefit has been also increased to Rs 8,000 from Rs 4,000 under the new package for them.

The State government will also provide educational assistance of Rs 5,000 to children of construction workers studying in Classes XI and XII. Besides, an assistance of Rs 7,000 per annum will be given to students enrolled in post- graduation courses and taken admission in ITIs, Patnaik said.

Similarly, the children of construction workers enrolled in diploma and polytechnic courses will be given an assistance of Rs 10,000 while MBA and BTech students to avail Rs 40,000 per annum, he announced.

Patnaik has also announced that the minimum period to get assistance to buy a bicycle for a construction worker has been reduced to one year which was three years earlier.

The minimum period to get assistance to buy tools, safety equipment has been made one year, he announced.