Mathadi Boards

Mathadi means a person carrying a load of material either on his Head (Matha) or on his back to stack at the appropriate place. These operations include loading unloading stacking, carrying, weighing, measuring or such other works including work preparatory or incidental to such operations.

There are 34 Mathadi Boards in the state of Maharashtra Mathadi Hammal & other Manual Workers (Regulation of employment & welfare) Act 1969.

As the Head Load Hamal or Mathdi were not getting proper wages and other service conditions for their work. They were humiliated by the employers. These Mathadi workers were united by Late Honourable Anna saheb Patil and other Worker Leaders of various markets in mumbai in the year 1966. They have demanded special enactment for these mathadi workers. After long struggle and considering the report submitted by commitee, Government of Maharashtra made a special enactment for these Mathadi Workers which is now known as Maharashtra Mathadi Hamal and other Manual Workers (Regulation of Employment and Welfare) Act, 1969

Various Schemes were framed under this Act for various markets such as Grocery, Metal, Paper, Iron & Steel, Cotton, Cloth, Vegetables, Transport & Railway, and Clearing & Forwarding Board etc. After this enactment, Mathadi workers started getting monthly wages from the board every month along with social security like PF, Gratuity, Medical Benefits, Bonus, leave wages etc., their living standard has increased. Mathadi workers of Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, and Pune are living in their own houses along with their families which are provided by under the special housing scheme executed.

International Labour Organization (ILO) has also taken a cognizance of this special Act and the Social Security given to the Mathadi workers.

The Boards functioning is monitored by the Mathadi desk under the Joint Labour Commissioner. Following are the activities performed by the Mathadi desk at the Labor Commissionerate office. On the following work recommendations are made in the form of proposals to the Government for its sanction as required.

• Receiving Monthly Returns from the Boards
• Responding to the references from Ministers, Government, LAQ, RTI etc.
• Receiving Complaints from the Workers, Citizens and Employers
• Receiving the Annual Audit Reports from Boards
• Reconstitution of Boards
• Appointment of Auditors for the Boards
• Coordinating in the Advisory Committee works
• Monitoring the annual and the performance budget
• Monitoring the work of the Board
• To Resolve the disputes between the two or more Boards
• The other incidental works