KARACHI: A committee comprising of officials from Sindh Labour Department, Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI) and Sindh Workers Welfare Board (SWWB) after its constitution would hold meeting with chambers of commerce and industries and mill owner’s associations for verification of pending cases of workers families’ welfare funds. Caretaker Sindh Minister for Labour and Human Resources, Simon John Daniel sought intervention of industrialists for verification to dispose of 2,216 pending cases of welfare for workers’ families pertaining to marriage grants, death grants and scholarships. Presiding over a meeting, held on Wednesday regarding welfares measure undertaken for workers and their families at SWWB office, Simon John Daniel said that funds, which had been collected from companies and industrial units, were available with Board for disbursement to workers under various welfare schemes. “SWWB rules of business require authentication and verification of workers credentials from industrial units before the workers can avail these funds,” explained Simon John Daniel during the meeting. He added that there was a need to rectify discrepancies in number of registered workers with Labour Department, SESSI and SWWB. Simon John Daniel said that centralizing data of registered workers and computerizing their records would help in this regard. He suggested that a smart card on pattern of CNIC be issued to each registered worker. He said that this smart card would help the workers avail the facilities and funds reserved for them by the Labour Department, SESSI and SWWB. The Sindh caretaker minister for labour said that an awareness campaign should also be launched through print and electronic media to educate companies on these developments. Earlier during the briefing, minister was informed that during the last three months Rs 46.6 million (mn) had been disbursed to workers against 552 marriage grants cases from Larkana region while Rs 1.5 mn was disbursed against three death grants from Karachi. In addition, he was told that in the last three months Rs 0.5 mn had been given away in a single case of death grant from Sukkur region. Minister was further informed that 500 cases of scholarship, 200 marriage grants and 250 cases of death grants pertaining to Karachi region were pending due to delay caused in verification from relevant industrial units. Simon John Daniel was told that in Hyderabad region, 350 marriage grants and 250 death grants, in Sukkur region 77 scholarship, 500 marriage grants and 27 death grants while in Larkana region 147 marriage and 15 death grant cases of workers families were pending due to non-cooperation of companies for verification. Secretary SWWB, Syed Mehdi Shah, Director Finance Anwar Ausaf, Deputy Director Welfare, Ahtisham and Deputy Director Technical, Muzafar Shah and other officials were present on the occasion. Published in Daily Times, July 12th 2018.