ES Reporter

 ITANAGAR, Mar 15:  Armed with RTI documents, Joint Working Committee of Arunachal Pradesh Trade Union Congress (JWCAPTU) alleged gross embezzlement of fund by  the Ex-officio members and Chairman of  Arunachal  Pradesh Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (APB & OCWWB)  meant for the welfare  of the labour community.

As per Building and Other Construction Workers Cess Act 1996 it is mandatory for every department, government undertaking organization to pay Cess of 1% for the workers welfare board.

Addressing reporters at press club today,   Chairman- JWCAPTU, Changma Tajo alleged that fund meant for the poor registered workers of the state are being misused for the benefits of few in the name of implementation of Non Statutory Benefits (NSB) undermining the Supreme Court order in WP (C) No. 318 of 2006 to utilize Cess fund in accordance with section 22 of B&OCWB (R&C) Act 1996.

As per Supreme Court Order, board cannot use the fund  for Non statutory Benefits ,whereas in 2016 the Board has misused crores  of fund under NSB in the name of  awareness camp ,medical camp as well in purchasing  low quality television, mobile handset, torchlight etc whereas legal statutory benefits like Housing loan to labour community were never provided, asserted Tajo.

Adding on his claim, Tajo opined that deserting  the section 22 of B&OCWB (R&C) Act 1996, Board has earmarked Rs 35 crore  under Non Statuary Benefits in the   budget of 2016-17 and to our utter surprise  Rs 19 crore was been already misused.

Various low quality products under NSB has been conferred to the  actual beneficiaries , whereas few members  of the Board  has spent Rs 82,95,782 in procuring   costly Sports Utility Vehicles like, Mahindra XUV, Scorpio ,  Chevrolet-Trail Blazer during 2015-16 and spent Rs 9,18,37,422 against NSB items like laptop, mobile handset, mosquito net, torchlight  and others.

Demanding, immediate removal of ex-officio members from the Board and also replacement of Chairman with retired IAS cadre, APCS cadre or from Trade Union leader, General secretary JWCAPTU, Kenkar Yomcha also divulged that the union has submitted representation to Chief Secretary for her intervention and to constitute an independent inquiry committee to unearth the truth behind the huge corruption in the labour board

 The union also appreciated former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki for raising issue of enhancement of labour wages in the recently held budget session.

‘There are many leaders who won elections with many promises to the labour community but never raised their issue in right platform, we are not satisfied over the government decision to  enhance  Rs 1000 only  in the salary of  contingency staff but it should be equal  to other states,’ added Yomcha.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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