Patiala, Sept. 26 -- The Union labour ministry on Friday, in an affidavit filed before the Punjab and Haryana high court, objected to the Punjab government's decision to use the Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Welfare Fund to finance cash assistance under the "Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana" for registered women construction workers.

Under the scheme, notified by the Punjab government in April, women above 18 years of age from the general category receive Rs.1,000 per month, while women belonging to Scheduled Castes receive Rs.1,500. The assistance is transferred directly into the beneficiaries' bank accounts.

The ministry termed the move a prima facie "impermissible diversion" of a dedicated labour-welfare corpu...