The state government will spread awareness to promote the security scheme for labourers in the unorganised sector in the state, said labour resources minister Janardan Singh Sigriwal on Monday.

Speaking at a workshop organised by the labour resources department at AN Sinha Institute of Social Sciences, Sigriwal said the Bihar Shatabdi Unorganised Sector Workers’ and Artisans’ Social Security Scheme, 2011, would be promoted among the beneficiaries through workshops and meets at the district, block and village levels.

The scheme would also be publicised through the media, including news- papers, television as well as radio.

“Awareness will be created among the people about the scheme so that workers and artisans can get the due benefits. Bihar is the first state in India to launch such a scheme,” the minister said in the presence of representatives of various non-government organisations and labourers.

The scheme that will have a retrospective effect from April 1, 2011 would benefit all self-employed domiciles, including rickshaw- and cart-pullers, blacksmiths, carpenters and auto drivers.

The state cabinet passed the scheme in February this year. Vyasji, the principal secretary of the labour resources department, also addressed the workshop.

“In case of the accidental death of a worker, his or her dependant would be given Rs 1 lakh. For the natural death of an artisan, a grant of Rs 30,000 would be paid to his or her successor. Besides death, a labourer would be given Rs 75,000 for permanent disability and Rs 37,500 for partial disability,” he said.

Vyasji also spoke about scholarships for children of workers.

“Under the scheme, Rs 100 per month would be provided as scholarship in yearly instalment of Rs 1,200 for 12 months. A maximum of two children studying in Class IX to Class XII would benefit from the scholarship,” the principal secretary of the labour resources department added.

The scheme would, however, not cover migrant workers.