Bhubaneswar: On Thursday, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched two new waiting centres for labourers in Bhubaneswar, emphasizing the government's commitment to worker welfare. This announcement was made during the state-level celebration of International Workers’ Day 2025, where the centres were inaugurated in the Dumduma and Kalpana areas.

These centres are equipped with essential amenities such as drinking water, restrooms, and recreational parks for the workers. The Chief Minister also revealed plans to establish similar facilities in cities like Cuttack, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Keonjhar, and Berhampur.

During the event, Majhi honored representatives from various trade unions and distributed aid under the Construction Workers Welfare Scheme, which includes support for education, marriage, maternity, and funeral expenses. He highlighted that since the current government took office, over 400,000 construction workers have been registered, receiving a total of ₹370 crore in assistance. On this Labour Day, approximately 3,000 identity cards were issued to eligible construction workers, along with more than ₹40 crore allocated to beneficiaries.

Majhi asserted that the state government is dedicated to ensuring the legal rights and social security of workers across different sectors. He noted that the BJP government has increased the financial assistance provided under the Construction Workers Welfare Board, raising the amount from ₹2 lakh to ₹3 lakh for normal deaths and from ₹4 lakh to ₹6 lakh for accidental deaths. Currently, around 4.7 million construction workers are registered under this scheme, with a total of ₹3,951 crore disbursed for various forms of assistance.

Additionally, the Chief Minister introduced the 'Odisha Sramik Sathi' mobile application, designed to streamline access to services offered by the Construction Workers Welfare Board. This app will allow workers to register online, renew their registrations, and apply for assistance conveniently. He also mentioned that the daily wages for various categories of workers have been increased over the past ten months. Labour Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia emphasized the crucial role of workers in the nation's development, stating that their efforts form the backbone of progress.