SAMPARK Celebrates International Labour Day

Sarabjit Kaur on May 10th, 2016

As an initial step of involving collectives of Shramik Mithras, members of collectives, the WRC team and other workers from several labour colonies organised Labour Day Celebrations on 1st May, 2016 at Play Ground Next to Freedom International School, 11th Cross, 17th Main, HSR Layout, Sector-4, Bengaluru -560102 at 10.00 am at Play Ground. About 210 construction workers from across 18 sites and 30 children belonging to 6 creches crèches attended the event.

The Sampark Team comprising of Ms. Prameela Project Manager, Mr. Sameen Banu Financial department and all the WRC team and teachers from all six Sampark crèches along with the WRC staff actively participated in the event. Various Stakeholders of our projects graced the occasion. The invitees included Mr. Venkatesh Senior Labour Inspector from Labour department, Mr. Anilkumar from Labour Net Bangalore, Mr. Shivanand Manager from PKG Bank Koppal, Mr. Krishna Murthy Safety engineer, from Mahaveer Reddy structure. Mr. Dinesh PC HSR police station, Mr. Pankil Program officer from Public Affairs Center, Ms. Sanjala from BabaJob.com.

Ms. Prameela (Project manager) spoke about activities of SAMPARK and the services rendered by the Workers Resource Centre for the construction workers. These include Health awareness programmes, Health camp, HIV/ AIDS Awareness Program, Safety Program, Finance Literacy and registration of workers with Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, opening accounts in banks etc. She also emphasized on the importance of WRC for the workers and encouraged the workers to develop a sense of ownership towards the WRC and make extensive use of it.

Mr. Anilkumar- Assistant Manager from labor Net Organization spoke about the importance of skill training and process of capacity building programs for Construction worker

This was followed by the Cultural Program: Crèche children performed various cultural activities in front of the laborers’ of JMC REC and Ibaluru Labour colonies which was planned and executed by crèche teachers.

Mr. Venkatesh -Senior Labour Inspector, Labour department, spoke about the importance of registration K&OWWB and issues in getting registration, 12 types of updated schemes for the construction worker. Then also he spoke about the status of the worker receiving the benefits from the labour department and motivated to all construction worker to get registration as well as the benefits

Mr. Shivanand Manager- Pragathi Grameen Bank, spoke regard to importance of opening bank accounts special for the construction worker and uses of schemes by the government through banks such as Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojana Scheme and Atal Pension scheme.

Ms. Sameen Banu – Financial Department Sampark spoke about the importance of saving and simple ways to be familiar to the bank procedures and how It helps in future life especially for construction worker.

Smt. Prema – Crèche teacher Ibaluru spoke about important education, linkages and enabling access for the children of construction worker to the government schools through setting up of crèches on construction sites. She cited that Sampark’s role in facilitating the process of getting scholarship for the children of construction workers from the Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board.

Ms. Sanjala – BabaJobs.com spoke about the role of Babajob.com and procedure for the getting job/work through Babajobs.com and how they are going to help to all categories of workers to registered with Babajob.com and get an access to varies types of jobs in mason, carpentry, plumbing, electrical works.

Later, the following workers narrated the benefits that they received from the WRC.

Mr. Gangappa – Construction worker –Shilpa Siri labour site –spoke about process of getting registration with the Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board (BOCWWB) and the usefulness of a Bank account opened through WRC, activities. Then he also spoke scholarship Benefits received Rs. 6000/- from the Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board with the help of WRC for his two children. Then he also spoke about services received from the WRC such as health camps, HIV/AIDS awareness program, benefits available from PHC such as mother’s card for the pregnant women, awareness programmes on labour laws etc.

Mr. Kashappa – Construction worker –Purvankara labour site –spoke about that he has received Rs. 50000/- from BOCWWB under marriage benefit scheme. He requested all the workers presented to register with BOCWWB and avail all social protection schemes.

Mr. Yamanur – Student- spoke about the process of getting admission in Crèche learning from the crèches and with the help of teacher how he get admission in 2nd standard, government school and how he has been able to continue his studies and reached to 8th standard. He said that “if I did not joined crèche by this time I should been dropped out child and become rag picker or gone for work along with his father. He also spoke that he got first rank in all standard and he thanked to Ms Prema – Creche teacher and Sampark organisation for supporting his education.

Towards the end, the chief guest distributed prizes to those children who participated in cultural program and also to the Shramik Mitra’s, who actively participated and supported the field officers in organizing training progammes at labour colonies. These Shramik Mitras have also been instrumental in organizing workers for registration camps and have played a significant role in spreading the word about the services of WRC which in effect, motivated workers to register with Board for availing its welfare schemes. The programme ended eventfully with an vote of thanks by the Project Coordinator Ms. Mahadevi Gorpade