Labourers, rickshawpullers and workers in the unorganised sector across Uttar Pradesh will soon have a host of welfare schemes for their social security. The Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (UPSLAA) is preparing recommendations under the Government of India’s Unorganised Workers Social Security Act ( UWSSA) 2008 following orders from the state government aiming to ensure unorganised sector workers get benefits from the existing schemes.

Giving details, UPSLAA member J Sridevi said, “This is the first ever Act which will not just give medical benefits to the workers, but also old age pension and educational facilities for their children. The state government wants to frame its rules at the earliest.”

The Act allows the state government to provide benefits like provident fund, life and disability cover, maternity benefits, employment injury benefit, housing and skill upgradation, with partial or complete grant support from the Centre. “We have already identified around 10 schemes of the Union government under which the workers can benefit till the time the state launches a specific scheme for them.”

The Labour department, the implementing authority for the Act, will be creating a state Social Security Board for urorganised workers. “We are identifying the sectors where unorganised workers are involved. The Board will help in getting these statistics in place.”