Smart cards printed for construction workers under Tamil Nadu’s labour welfare boards have remained largely undistributed, with officials citing the presence of former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s photograph on the cards.
According to the report, the Labour Welfare Department runs multiple welfare boards through which workers receive various assistance schemes. In February, welfare board “smart cards” were printed for construction workers, carrying worker details such as photo, address, date of birth, mobile number, registration number, date of registration and renewal date, along with a QR code.
The cards, which reportedly carried Stalin’s photo on both sides, were printed in large numbers—around 20,000 per district—totalling up to about 3 lakh cards. They reached labour welfare offices in the first week of March.
While a limited number of workers received the cards initially, distribution was halted following the announcement of Assembly elections. After the subsequent change in government, the cards have remained unused for about three months, leaving the stock piled up at labour welfare offices.
