35,000 irregular workers hit as Shram Samman Rashi payments stopped, alleges federation

The Chhattisgarh Pragatisheel Aniyamit Karmchari Federation has accused the state government of unofficially discontinuing the ‘Shram Samman Rashi’ scheme, depriving over 35,000 contractual and daily-wage workers of a monthly allowance of Rs 4,000. The federation alleged that a June 5 treasury directive, citing a 2024 finance department letter, has effectively halted payments by restricting bill clearance for workers lacking formal appointment or work orders. Calling the move anti-worker and detrimental amid rising inflation, the federation has urged the state government to immediately restore the allowance and warned of a statewide democratic agitation if the order is not withdrawn.

The federation has expressed strong resentment against the state government for stopping the ‘Shram Samman Rashi’ scheme, said federation state president Gopal Prasad Sahu.

The scheme was implemented on August 1, 2023. It guaranteed an additional monthly allowance of Rs 4,000 to unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled, and highly skilled contractual and daily-wage labourers working across various government departments. The allowance was paid over and above their monthly wages.

The controversy erupted after the senior treasury officer of the treasury at Indravati Bhawan in Nava Raipur issued a directive on June 5, 2026. The order explicitly instructed all Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) not to clear or submit allowance bills to the treasury without formal appointment or work orders, alleged Sahu. The treasury cited a previous finance department letter dated 26 June 2024, which states that employees without explicit work orders are ineligible for the allowance.

Sahu said the state government is moving to abruptly end the scheme under the guise of technicalities without making any official policy announcement. He pointed out that while inflation is rising, the wages and allowances of irregular employees remain stagnant, and halting this financial support directly hurts employee welfare.

The federation has urged Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and the state finance minister to intervene immediately, resolve the confusion at the treasury level, and ensure the unconditional release of the allowance to all eligible daily-wage and collector-rate workers. The employees’ body has warned the administration that if the misleading order is not revoked promptly, irregular employees will launch a massive democratic protest across the state. No govt officials was available for comments when contacted.