Rs 112,39,20,000 as arrears; seven months since stalling of sewing workers' pensions

KOCHI: After the construction workers' welfare fund pension, the state government has made several months' arrears in the sewing workers' welfare fund pension also. The arrears are more than Rs 112 crore. The disbursement of pensions in the board has been stalled since March 2024.

A total of 1,00,350 members are welfare pension beneficiaries at the beginning of this year. The government has to pay Rs 1,600 per month as a welfare pension to each of them totalling to an amount of Rs 16,05,60,000. The arrears for seven months are Rs 112,39,20,000.

A total of 7,68,968 members of the board are being charged Rs 50 per month as dividends. According to this figure, Rs 3,84,48,400 is collected per month to the board.

The office of the Kerala Tailoring Workers Welfare Fund Board said that the distribution of other benefits to the members has also been stopped since June-July. An amount of Rs 10,68,600 that was disbursed from the board's own fund as maternity assistance is yet to be reimbursed from the government. The board has clarified that the arrears will be paid as soon as it receives government funding.

Benefits

Marriage funding, maternity funding, additional maternity financing, medical assistance, scholarship, cash award, refund, retirement benefit, and posthumous funeral assistance.