Patience of stranded workers in Silkyara tunnel will always remain inspirational: Dhami
Monday, 18 December 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The patience shown by all the workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel will always remain inspirational. All the Central and State government agencies involved did a commendable job in safely rescuing the 41 workers who were trapped in the partially caved-in Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said this while speaking at a programme organised by labour organisations here on Sunday.
Dhami said that the patience shown by the stranded workers boosted the morale of everyone involved for making the rescue operation successful. “When it was taking more time despite various efforts, the trapped workers had said that they were not worried about more time being taken; the effort should be aimed at rescuing them safely. These words of the workers boosted the morale of all involved in the rescue operation,” the CM said.
He said that the Silkyara rescue operation succeeded due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guidance and the courage of the labourers. “The PM used to take updates on the rescue operation from me on a daily basis. Whenever experts and necessary equipment were needed for the operation, these were provided swiftly under his guidance. The team from the Prime Minister’s Office also remained at the site during the operation. Union minister of State VK Singh also remained at Silkyara. The operation succeeded with coordinated work by the Central and State agencies. The patience and courage shown by the family members of all the stranded workers in those challenging times cannot be praised enough,” Dhami said.
He further stated that the labourers are preparing the foundations for a better and prosperous nation. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central and State governments remain committed to ensuring the welfare of the labourers. The Central government has made various changes in the labour laws. The Shram Suvidha portal has been launched. Today, every labourer gets a unique labour identification number to enable his/her identification and ensure that they are getting the benefit of government schemes. The national service portal has also been prepared for facilitating better coordination between the labourers and planners. The CM pointed out that PM Modi had launched the Rs 13,000 crore PM Vishwakarma Yojana on Vishwakarma Jayanti, which will benefit about 30 lakh families of labourers in the country. Loan assistance at minimum interest rates without guarantee will be provided to traditional artisans, craftsmen and other labourers under this scheme, Dhami added. The CM also spoke about the efforts being undertaken by the State government to make this decade Uttarakhand’s.
Labour secretary R Meenakshi Sundaram said that the Silkyara rescue operation was a challenging task. The CM consistently boosted the morale of those involved in the operation. He said that a welfare state is sensitive towards all sections of society, which was exemplified by the CM.
Sumit Singhal from the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and Trade Union Coordination Centre head Navin Kureel also expressed their views on the occasion. The labour commissioner Dipti Singh, representatives of various labour organisations and family members of labourers were also present on the occasion.
