Raksha Mantri Approves Waiver for Ex-Gratia Compensation to Casual Paid Labourers in BRO/GREF

New Delhi: Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has given his approval to a proposal aimed at waiving the provision mandating 179 working days for the payment of ex-gratia lump sum compensation to Casual Paid Labourers (CPLs) employed in the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and General Engineering Reserve Force (GREF). The existing criteria require CPLs to have worked a minimum of 179 days in the BRO to qualify for the ex-gratia lump sum compensation of Rs five lakh.

In various cases, families of deceased CPLs were unable to receive the ex-gratia grant due to the stringent condition of completing 179 working days. The waiver of this requirement on humanitarian grounds is intended to provide relief to the families of CPLs who lose their primary wage earner while on duty for the government. This decision is particularly significant considering the challenging and high-risk working conditions faced by CPLs in far-flung, snow-bound, and high-altitude areas where proper public and medical facilities are often lacking.

The welfare measures approved by Raksha Mantri for CPLs, irrespective of the number of days of engagement with BRO, include a Group (Term) Insurance scheme assuring an insured value of Rs 10 lakh for the family/Next of Kin in case of CPLs’ death during ongoing project works. Other measures include the preservation and transportation of mortal remains, Transport Allowance (TA) entitlement for the attendant, an increase in Funeral Assistance to Rs 10,000 from Rs 1,000, and an advance payment of Rs 50,000 against ex-gratia compensation for immediate assistance in case of death, among others. These initiatives aim to enhance the overall welfare and support for Casual Paid Labourers in challenging work environments.