Provincial Minister for Labour & Human Resource Raja Ashfaq Sarwar has said that Punjab government allocated an amount of Rs. 610 million with an increase of 11.3 percent of the previous year for the welfare of labourers community. He said, this substantial increase in the budget, reflects priorities of Punjab government for the promotion of labour-friendly initiatives including social security and elimination of child labour.
In a statement, Raja Ashfaq Sarwar said that compiling of provincial data about child labour and timely completion of ongoing mega projects are new targets of the department. He said that Labour Market Information System and Resource Center will be set up with a cost of Rs. 65 million. He said that a huge amount of Rs.50 million has been allocated in the budget for provincial child labour servey. Raja Ashfaq Sarwer said that Punjab government has already initiative an integrated project for elimination of child and bounded labour along with rehabilitation of vulnerable labour community with the cost of Rs.5.2 billion. He further said that to promote culture of decent works, enhance capacity building of industrial units as well as implementation of international labour standards, a project amounting to Rs.134 million has been launched. In four districts of the province, Rs.180 million project to eradicate, worst form of child labour as well as a project of Rs.196 million for elimination of bounded labour are under process, he further informed that Raja Ashfaq Sarwer said that around 120 non-formal education centers are being set up at work places including kilns where 4200 children of kiln workers are also registered. Minister Labour said that computerized inspection system, job portal and updated registration of kilns are also under process whereas safety and health measures are being implemented to ensure health and life security of the labourers.