Punjab Labour Minister, Syed Ehsaan-ud-Din Qureshi has said that all field labour officers have been directed to launch a comprehensive campaign to eliminate the curse of bounded labour, adding that under the reforms agenda, educational and social reforms are being introduced at the brick kilns of the province.
He told that rupees 123 million would be spent on the launched scheme, adding that the purpose of the scheme is to establish non-formal education school, disbursement of interest-free micro-credit, facilitation in acquiring CNICs to the brick kiln workers, developing and testing of brick making technology.
While talking to the brick kilns worker's delegations, Ehsaan-ud-Din said that in the first stage, 170 non-formal schools have been established at brick kilns where 5,500 male and female students are receiving education, whereas, 30 more schools would be inaugurated soon. He told that in order to provide better economic opportunities to the brick kiln labourers, micro-credit scheme has been launched and rupee 40.8 million soft term loan has been distributed among the labourers.
He said that health camps have also been established at 'bhattas' and labourers/patients have been provided treatment facilities, while national identity cards have also been issued to 3,500 bhatta mazdoor. The minister said that government is giving top priority to eliminate the menace of bounded labour in brick kilns and combating worst forms of child labour from the province.
He said that all government schools will be given the status of English medium schools during the current year while more than 30 lakh (three million) children have been given admission in the schools so far as a result of primary enrolment campaign launched by Punjab government.