9 lakh workers come into banking fold, claims labour ministry

NEW DELHI: Union labour ministry has claimed to bring in over nine lakh workers into banking fold within six days of launching of a campaign to open bank accounts of all labours working in organized and unorganised sector.
The move is part of the multi-pronged strategy to make India a cashless economy after the government scrapped high-value currency notes on November 8.
As per government data there are already 25.68 crore Jandhan accounts and the campaign aimed at covering workers who were not be able to open accounts.
“Till Thursday evening, around 9,15,431 bank accounts were opened by organizing 33,145 camps,” said an official.
The focus of the campaign is to open bank accounts of workers especially in unorganised sector like construction, beedi, Anganwadi, Asha and cine workers who still do not have bank accounts.
The campaign aimed at ensuring that all workers come into banking fold and their wages are paid directly into their account.
“This will not only prevent exploitation of workers and payment of wages without cut but will also inculcate the habit of using cashless transactions,” said an official.
He added that labour ministry officials have been deputed for coordinating and supervising the bank account opening activities at the camps, across the country.