Rajahmundry, July 30th: Labor authorities are planning to initiate registration of construction workers in a phased manner from August 15 to help them get benefits from several welfare schemes in the state. The Andhra Pradesh Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board chairman, Mr S. Gopal, told on Thursday that government will begin registration of construction workers in a phased manner and added that in the Phase I, registration will be taken up at work sites in urban areas and at project sites in rural areas. During the Phase II and Phase III of the program, registrations will be taken up in urban and rural areas respectively.

Mr Gopal said that of the estimated population of construction workers coming upto 50 lakh in the state, they were planning to register nearly 21.5 lakh workers during Phase I of the program, and added that they would avail the services of registered trade unions including INTUC, CITU, AITUC, BMS, HMS, IFTU and others. The welfare board chairman said that welfare schemes which would be provided to construction workers include provision of Arogyasri health scheme, accidental insurance coverage upto Rs 2 lakh, implementation of ESI, maternity assistance worth Rs 5000 per confinement upto 2 confinements, day care shelters to children of workers, scholarships for their children and provision of training on safety and health to workers by the National Academy of Construction.