Brick Kilns: Micro loans worth Rs58.22m provided to labourers

Labour department providing interest free loans to eliminate bonded and child labour and worker exploitation.

LAHORE:

Punjab Labour Minister Haji Ehsaan-ud-Din Qureshi said the labour department has provided Rs58.22 million as interest free micro-credit to 3,047 workers of brick kilns in two districts for the elimination of bonded labour, child labour and exploitation of workers.

Talking to a delegation of industrial workers on Saturday, he said that 200 non-formal education centers were providing 6,803 students at brick kilns in Lahore and Kasur.

He further said the department had organised health camps at brick kilns and free treatment was provided to 1,300 labourers.  He said that free education including books, stationery, transport and uniform were also being provided to 28,000 children of workers in 46 workers welfare schools of the province. 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2011.