From the States : Gujarat

And now SC pats Modi government
Lauds welfare efforts for salt industry workers
From Our Correspondent

BJP’s Narendra Modi government in Gujarat has been lauded by the Supreme Court of India for doing good work for the welfare of thousands of workers and their children engaged in the salt industry

“It is seen from various reports and the affidavit filed by the state of Gujarat that they are making sincere efforts for the welfare of salt workers and their children in collaboration with the Government India,” a Bench of Mr Justice A.R. Lakshmanan and Mr Justice Lokeshwar Singh Panta said in a judgement, while disposing of a writ petition raising the issue.

The court, which passed the order after monitoring the progress on the work being done by the state government on various projects for workers’ welfare for the past five years, said since all necessary steps had been taken by the state administration, there was no need to keep pending the petition.

The court appreciated the short-term and long-term steps taken by the state government for providing adequate number of schools for workers’ children with appointing teachers on priority, their socio-economic development, setting up 59 “balwaris” for kids, mobile fair-price shops and training to the workers to adopt modern technology. The matter had been dealt in “holistic and sustainable manner ”. the apex court said

“It is seen from the detailed status report that the Government of Gujarat is taking up the issue of socio-economic development of salt workers in a holistic and sustainable manner, in collaboration with NGOs and the Government of India,” the court said.

The report on the welfare steps taken by the state government was prepared by its Labour Department with the help of at least seven NGOs engaged in the field.

According to the report, the state government had spent Rs 11.28 crore for providing drinking water in localities of salt workers, Rs 2 crore on health care and distribution of ration and had completed 417 houses for these families. Besides, 1,219 houses were nearing completion and 1,073 were being taken up for construction.

(Based on TOI report 24-05-06)