West Bengal government to form separate Welfare Board for delivery workers

In a move to ensure the well-being of delivery personnel across the state, the West Bengal government is set to establish a dedicated welfare board. State Labor Minister Malay Ghatak has already approved the process, and the proposal will be sent to the state cabinet for final approval. This decision comes as delivery workers are often not part of regular company payrolls, depriving them of retirement and related benefits.

The new welfare board will address the issue by creating a separate fund to cover delivery workers under retirement benefits, including provident fund. Many delivery personnel lack specific appointing authorities and struggle with disorganization, making it difficult to raise concerns about social and financial security. The proposed forum will offer them an exclusive platform to address their issues.

Once the welfare board is formed, a dedicated portal will be launched for delivery workers to enroll and seek assistance. The state labor department will closely examine their cases and launch various social and financial welfare schemes to support this segment of the unorganized workforce, akin to schemes for other unorganized sectors in the state.