Naidu Promises Labour Addas, New ESI Hospitals on Workers’ Day

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday announced the setting up of dedicated ‘labour addas’ across the State, saying these centres would double as skill development hubs for workers on lean days. He announced at a public meeting in Pamidimukkala, Krishna district, on the occasion of International Workers’ Day.

In the first phase, 15 such centres will come up in major cities and towns, the Chief Minister said, adding that workers can use these hubs to sharpen their skills when work is scarce.

Mr. Naidu presented ‘Shrama Shakti’ awards to outstanding workers and industrial managements and distributed ₹5 lakh each to 35 construction workers under the P4 initiative.

Equating the hard work of labourers with the efforts of his administration, the Chief Minister announced new ESI hospitals at Achyutapuram, Guntur, Kurnool, Sri City, and Amaravati to improve healthcare for workers. “Our goal is to ensure every worker stays healthy and economically secure,” he said.

On welfare, Mr. Naidu said assistance schemes for construction workers have been revived. The government now offers ₹25,000 for marriage expenses, ₹20,000 on childbirth, ₹60,000 on natural death, and ₹20,000 for funeral costs. Four labour courts are also in place to settle disputes swiftly.

Calling welfare spending a responsibility and not a burden, he said, pensions are being paid to 6.247 million people every month. Over ₹63,000 crore has been spent in the past 22 months, with the State allocating ₹2,721 crore monthly — ₹33,000 crore annually — on welfare, one of the highest in the country.

On the infrastructure front, Mr. Naidu said the Polavaram Project is back on track. The damaged diaphragm wall has been rebuilt at a cost of ₹1,000 crore, with the project set for completion by 2027.