The Ministry of Labour and Employment held a national conference in Mumbai to discuss the welfare and security of India’s construction workforce. Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya chaired the two-day National Conference on Building and Other Construction Workers, bringing together labour ministers from states and union territories to share strategies and address gaps in worker protection.
What the conference covered
India has over 7 crore construction workers. The country has accumulated approximately Rs. 77,000 crore in building and other construction worker (BOCW) cess funds, which are meant for worker welfare but are not always used effectively.
During the conference, several states presented their existing programmes. Maharashtra shared its education initiative for workers’ children. Haryana discussed its beneficiary verification process. Uttarakhand presented its health scheme for construction workers.
Three digital initiatives were launched to improve access to employment and welfare services for construction workers:
- State BOCW Digital Labour Chowk, a platform for job matching and worker registration
- Labour Chowk-cum-Facilitation Centres to provide employment and welfare services in one location
- Online BOCW Cess Collection Portal for transparent fund management
Multiple states including Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Manipur, Bihar and others launched these digital systems during the conference. The minister urged state governments to assess how construction cess funds are currently being used, find shortcomings, and develop better ways to spend this money on worker benefits.
The conference also discussed international labour mobility, focusing on how Indian construction workers might access work opportunities abroad and contribute to India’s economy through remittances.
What this means for you
If you work in construction, your state may now have new digital platforms to help you find registered jobs and access welfare services more easily. State governments have been asked to ensure all construction workers and sites are properly registered and to spend accumulated welfare funds on pensions, healthcare, education for workers’ children, and housing support. Better coordination between central and state governments aims to provide more consistent protection and benefits regardless of which state you work in.