Ranchi: The state labour department is planning to set up structured ‘Labour Chowk-cum-Facilitation Centres’ (LCFCs) across Jharkhand. The centres will convert informal, roadside gathering points of headload and daily-wage workers into modern hubs with safe waiting zones, access to basic amenities and welfare schemes of the state.For many decades now, daily-wage labourers in Jharkhand wait at local crossroads each day to find work. In doing so, they are exposed to the elements and traffic. The proposed LCFC model directly addresses these safety concerns. In Ranchi, labourers converge at spots like Lalpur Chowk, Birsa Chowk, Morabadi and Argora Chowk in numbers every day to find work.Labour department secretary Jitendra Kumar Singh said, “The LCFC framework is a Union govt initiative that we are planning to adapt in Jharkhand. We are presently looking at setting up at least one in every district. However, in major districts, we can have more,” he said.These modern centres will be equipped with vital basic amenities, including clean drinking water, proper sanitation and toilet facilities, and first-aid kits for immediate medical assistance. Alongside building new centres, the department will undertake the modernisation of existing labour sheds to ensure they meet updated welfare standards.Beyond basic shelter, the hubs will function as integrated service delivery points. The centres will host regular health camps and offer registration services, and linkage to welfare schemes for the labourers.While the infrastructure blueprint is ready, the department is currently structuring the long-term upkeep of these facilities. “The modalities of its operations and management are still being worked out. We are hoping to start setting them up this year,” Singh said.The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC), on the other hand, is planning to build permanent shelters for daily-wage labourers across major roundabouts in the city. The centres, which will be named Shramik Samman Kendra, will be designed for those who travel from the outskirts of the state capital for employment and serve as dedicated waiting spaces while they wait to be hired.