Mentioning that the state is “committed to uphold the dignity” of its staff who construct vital infrastructure in border areas, Jharkhand authorities has written once more to Defense Secretary and NITI Aayog’s Special Secretary, urging them to direct Border Roads Organization (BRO) to signal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for higher welfare measures to those staff.
In the final two years, that is the third missive from Jharkhand authorities, urging the BRO to get a greater deal for its staff who face “exploitative working conditions” in high-altitude areas. A delegation, together with Jharkhand’s Labor Secretary, had within the interim visited Ladakh for a dialogue on the problem.
In the letter, dated on May 2, Jharkhand Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh wrote to the Defense Secretary, expressing these considerations. He wrote {that a} delegation met the Ladakh administration and chief engineers of Himank and Vijayak tasks of BRO October final 12 months and he urged that the BRO be directed to signal the MoU.
“During the meeting, the BRO representatives mentioned that any core policy issues related to annual induction of migrant workers and welfare benefits for them and its implementation will be undertaken only after instructions from BRO Headquarters,” Singh wrote.
In his letter to NITI Aayog Special Secretary Ok Rajeswara Rao, Singh sought his intervention to resolve the problem in “true spirit”.
Singh wrote: “…I hope your intervention will assist facilitate the much-delayed signing of an MoU between BRO and Government of Jharkhand, and its adherence by BRO to make sure security, social welfare, and dignity of migrant staff of Jharkhand in Ladakh and different comparable areas.”
In each letters, Singh emphasised the necessity to show the necessity for a clear and accountable recruitment course of.
The matter was raised first through the first wave of Covid-19, when the state authorities airlifted 60 folks from Jharkhand “stranded” in Ladakh. Then state Principal Secretary (Labour) Rajiv Arun Ekka wrote to the BRO DG, declaring the issue of exploitation by brokers. Later, BRO, an arm of the Defense Ministry, and the state mutually agreed to “Terms of Reference (TOR)” in June 2020.
In the TOR, Jharkhand requested for a dedication from BRO to signal an MoU to eliminate contractors, improve wages, put in place higher working circumstances, maintain registration below the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act as an employer amongst others. On July 16, the state Labor Department wrote the BRO, accusing it of not holding its dedication. The BRO in response denied the very fact.
Officials at Migrant Control Room in Jharkhand additionally emphaised this want and pointed towards a latest incident in Leh. For the final 16 days, they stated, the physique of a 45-year-old is mendacity within the mortuary of Sonam Norbu Memorial Hospital in Leh, ready to be claimed and recognized.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
