LAHORE-
Provincial Minister for Labour and Human Resources, Raja Ashfaq Sarwar has said that provincial government will soon announce Punjab Labour Policy 2014 to resolve the problems of home-based women workers,labourers and factory workers. While addressing a seminar here Ashfaq Sarwar said that 12 million home-based workers were contributing more than 32 million dollars to the national economy.But due to their non-registration and economic exploitation by middlemen their living standard remained unchanged.
The Minister said that Punjab government would organise South Asia Labour Conference in April which will be attended by the employers,representatives of labour organizations,NGOs from Turkey, China and other SAARC countries.
Punjab government would adopt an act through Punjab Assembly for the provision of education, health, marriage,old age benefits and other incentives to home-based women workers by bringing them under the scope of Social Security facilities.
“After scrutiny by the law department, the act will be enforced which will ensure social protection, appropriate wages, registration and other matters of the skilled women”, he said.
The government is implementing a number of pilot projects for skilled women workers and they are also being provided a loan of Rs. 25000 on soft terms, stated a hand out here Wednesday.
Members Provincial Assembly Dr. Nousheen Hamid,Kaneez Ishaq,Executive Director Homenet Pakistan Umm-e-Laila, Executive Directors Sarsabz Foundation Dr. Naveeda Shoaib, Country Manager International Catholic Migratory Commission Switzerland Syed Shahan Abbas,Director Labour Syed Hasnaat Javed,home-based women workers from Sindh and KPK and representatives of NGOs also spoke on the occasion.
-APP