Workers’ uplift: Welfare projects for labourers inaugurated

A medical centre, a medicines depot and a social security directorate have been set up.

LAHORE: Industrial workers and labourers are the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. The government is taking concrete steps to provide them the best possible facilities, Minister for Labour and Human Resources Raja Ashfaq Sarwar said at the inauguration of three welfare projects on Thursday.

He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Social Security Medical Centre, the Central Medical Depot and the Social Security Directorate (South) built at a cost of Rs64 million under the Punjab Employees Social Security Institution (PESSI) at the labour colony near COMSAT university on EME Defence Road. The colony has 1,263 residential flats to house industrial workers and their families.

Members of the Provincial Assembly Saiful Malook Khokhar and Saira Iftikhar, Labour Secretary Farhan Khawaja, PESSI Commissioner Ishrat Ali and PEESI Director General Tariq Awan also attended the event. Sarwar said the welfare projects aimed at improving the socioeconomic conditions of the workers and provide them basic amenities under one roof.

Sarwar said the medical centre would have a staff of five doctors and paramedics. They will provide medical facilities in two shifts. The Central Medical Depot will be used to store medicines for social security medical centres throughout the province, he said.

He said the Social Security Directorate (South) had been set up to help address everyday problems faced by labourers.

The event was attended by factory workers and their families.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2014.