HYDERABAD, Dec 1: The district council here on Wednesday initiated a debate on recommendations for incorporation in labour policy of the district government prepared by labour councillor Rana Mehmood Ali Khan.

He has recommended the formation of 20-member advisory board, headed by the district nazim, to decide cases filed by employers and employees and empowered to issue directives to the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution, Employees' Old-age Benefit Institution, labour department and Sindh Workers' Welfare Board.

The board will ensure that minimum monthly wages of Rs2,500 are paid by employers and action is taken for its violation, workers of industrial units, registered with the SESSI, are issued social security cards, steps are taken to improve health facilities being run by the SESSI, medicines are provided and specialists doctors are posted there and heirs of workers are provided health facilities.

The recommendations include 60 per cent employment for indigenous population in industrial units, 20 per cent from elsewhere in the province and remaining 20 per cent from other provinces in case of non-availability of technical hands.

They call for early and inexpensive dispensation of justice to workers, sending of a proposal to the federal government for restoration of the Sindh Labour Appellate Tribunal and an increase in pension from Rs735 to Rs2000.

Another proposal is related to the establishment of labour colonies and model schools in Matiari, Tando Mohammad Khan and Tando Allahyar. Initiating the debate, Q. Hakim said that a labour policy could not be formulated by the district council as it was not empowered to do so according to the Sindh Local Government Ordinance.

On the other hand, Rana Siddiqui, Yusuf Qureshi, Dr Ayaz Arain, Miran Muhammad Shah and others praised Mr Khan for highlighting the issues of labourers. They said that the issue of child labour should be incorporated in the recommendations and those working in small industries should not be overlooked as they also needed medical and other facilities.

They said that farm workers had their own grievances and their issues should also be included in the proposals. Earlier, the DCO briefed the session on the issue of the Mir Fateh Colony and said that encroachments there had been removed according to an order of the high court.