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Ravi Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service
Gurdaspur, August 25
Suwidha centres across Punjab are witnessing an unprecedented rush of women following rumours that unorganised domestic workers will get a monthly grant from the Punjab Government if they get themselves registered under the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act. Women flocking to these centres claimed they would be getting a monthly dole of Rs 2,000 once they submit their forms at centres.
Keeping in view the magnitude of the problem, Gurdaspur DC Vipul Ujwal has called an urgent meeting of officials manning such centres and representatives of social organisations on Monday.
Serpentine queues can be seen at Gurdaspur, Batala, Pathankot, Dhariwal, Pathankot, Sujanpur, Bhoa, Qadian, Dera Baba Nanak, Fatehgarh Churian and Naushera Majha Singh even as reports from other cities of Punjab speak of a similar rush. Scores of women reached the Suwidha centre, located in the Gurdaspur DC office, on Sunday morning despite it being a holiday.
“Women are asked to buy a form and later agents roaming near the centres approach them with an offer to fill the forms for a fee ranging between Rs 20 and Rs 50. These women then stand in lines for hours to submit the forms. Later, the centre takes a fee of Rs 10 to Rs 20 to hand over a card called the ‘Domestic Workers Identity Card’. It is this card that has sparked off rumours that people will get Rs 2,000 per month,” said Sunil Dutt, a Dinanagar-based human rights activist. Dutt has now written a letter to the DC seeking his intervention in the “fraud that is unfolding at Suwidha centres across the district.”
After submitting her form, Asha Rani, a Dinanagar-based women, claimed the government would pay her a monthly amount from next month.
Sukhdev Behrampur, a worker of the Gurdaspur unit of the Indian Federation of Trade Unions, claimed his office was flooded with scores of women seeking help.
“At least a hundred women approach me every day asking for clarifications. They tell me that they have submitted their forms and now want information as to when will the government deposit the money in their accounts. When I tell them a massive fraud is being perpetuated upon them, they go home disappointed,” he said.
“We are trying to educate the people that no money will be given by the state government. The government is trying to register people under a particular social security scheme just to ensure they get social welfare benefits in the future,” said Sunil Dutt.
Domestic worker card
Women are rushing to government offices to make Domestic Worker Identity Card. Rumours are rife that they will get Rs 2,000 per month which is not the case. Touts at Suwidha centres mint money as they charge Rs 20-50 to fill forms.
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