LAHORE – On the directions of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Punjab government on Wednesday introduced major reforms for the welfare of workers, abolishing the manual system for workers’ welfare grants and launching a modern online mechanism for marriage, death and scholarship grants.
Provincial Labour Minister Muhammad Manshaullah Butt formally inaugurated the direct credit system, under which welfare grants are transferred directly into workers’ bank accounts with a single click.
The new system eliminates the cheque-based process and aims to ensure transparency, efficiency and timely disbursement of funds.
Speaking on the occasion, the labour minister said that the online system would free workers from repeated visits to the government offices and dependence on the middlemen. He added that the new mechanism would also address delays and complaints related to grant payments.
Under the previous cheque system, the workers often had to wait over three months to receive grants while the new system is expected to enable faster payments.
Secretary Workers Welfare Funds Mujtaba Bharwana briefed the provincial minister on the features and implementation of the online system.
Workers and their family members welcomed the initiative and thanked Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for prioritising labour welfare.
The labour minister said that institutional reforms are being carried out under the leadership of the chief minister, reiterating that workers’ welfare remains a top priority of the Punjab government. He said grants would now be distributed strictly on merit and with full transparency, setting a new standard for labour welfare in the province.
