Ahmedabad, 22 October 2012

Gujarat Congress today declared 11th point of its 12-poing poll agenda. Some of the major features of today’s announcement are:

-Development of millions of hawkers and street vendors.

-Hawkers and vendors to be protected against harassment by implementation of vendor policy – 2009 of the Government of India.

-Group insurance, Identity card and special zone for hawkers and street vendors in different towns and cities.

-Special Rs 500 crore fund for micro finance to hawkers and street vendors.

-Welfare board for unorganized workers.

-Minimum wages of organized workers to be hiked.

-Labor welfare centers to be revived in each city.

-Shramik Suraksha Yojana to be implemented with Rs two lakh insurance cover.

-Group insurance scheme for rickshaw drivers.

-Reserved parking stands for taxi and rickshaws in developing areas.

-Rickshaw drivers will be trained and handed over propaganda work by the government for health, education and other issues.

-Construction workers, plumbers, electricians, carpenters etc will be covered under group insurance scheme.

-Special rules to be made to prevent any harassment to truck, taxi, private vehicle drivers in the name of checking.

-Contract system to be totally abolished in various government recruitment. Implementation of ‘Equal work equal pay’.

-Labor housing schemes close to major GIDC and factories under public private partnership model.

-Fast track labor courts to be set up. A scheme for free legal advise to workers.

-Revival of State Labour Welfare Board.

-Factory inspectors and other vacant posts in state government’s labour department to be filled up.

-Health check up of drivers every year.

-Rs 1200 crore cess fund to be utilized for labor housing schemes, scholarships of children of workers and health assistance.

-Contractors and workers in construction industry will have to register themselves.