Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, June 29: The lives of poor workers are very cheap for Jammu Municipal Corporation, which has a policy of paying a meager amount of Rs. 75,000 as compensation to the family of Safai karamcharis, who dies on duty.
Moreover, the JMC has maximum of casual Safai karamcharis while its counterpart Srinagar Municipal Corporation has maximum permanent employees, which reflects upon failure of JMC authorities to provide legitimate benefit to its Safai karamcharis.
According to the documents furnished by Housing and Urban Development department, Safai karamcharis of JMC have been covered under Aam Aadmi Bima Yojna (AABY) of LIC, worth 75 thousand rupees.
Moreover, the document further reads as in case of permanent disability (loss of two limbs or two eyes), an amount of Rs. 75,000 would be provided and in case of partial disability (lost one limb, one eye), the Safai karamchari would be provided Rs. 37,500.
In addition, ex-gratia relief amounting Rs. 10,000 is provided to nominee of the deceased. More disturbing is that Srinagar Municipal Corporation has no such policy even to pay any meager amount to the victim Safai karamchari. " SMC has been working on a plan with State Life Insurance to cover Safai karamcharis against health and accidental risks. A Municipal Welfare fund has been raised by way of mutual monthly contribution to provide adequate financial assistance to victims in such eventualities", the reply further states.
On account of the employees' strength, JMC has a total of 864 Safai karamcharis, while SMC has employed 1296 permanent employees. JMC has also employed 715 casual labourers besides 753 Safai karamchri have been employeed on contractual basis by Non Governmental Organization (NGO), a feature which is missing in SMC. The SMC has employed 902 consolidated and Casual workers besides 320 need based Safai karamcharis. |
