National BOCW conference begins, focus on worker welfare: Mandaviya

The National Conference on BOCW Workers, chaired by Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in Mumbai, focused on social security, worker welfare, and utilising the Rs. 77,000 crore cess fund for over 7 crore construction workers across India.

National Conference on BOCW Begins in Mumbai

The National Conference on Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) organised by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra, began in Mumbai on Friday with Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, chairing the proceedings. The conference was attended by the Union Minister of State for Labour & Employment and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Labour Ministers of participating States/UTs, senior officials of the Ministry of Labour & Employment, representatives of State/UT BOCW Welfare Boards, and other stakeholders.

Mandaviya Stresses Holistic Welfare and Global Opportunities

Addressing the conference, Mansukh Mandaviya emphasised that Shram Shakti is integral to the development of a nation and plays a vital role in nation-building. He stated that the social security and welfare of the workforce is therefore fundamental to national development. He stressed the importance of sharing best practices among States and ensuring optimum utilisation of BOCW funds to provide wider social security coverage to workers.

Union Minister Mandaviya further emphasised the need for the labour ecosystem to continuously evolve with changing times and underlined the need for the Centre and States to remain aligned in their vision and policies for the holistic welfare of BOCW workers. Union Labour & Employment Minister also emphasised the need to explore measures that can provide workers with greater dignity, honour and self-respect, including the possibility of providing pension support to workers.

He highlighted that the country is undergoing rapid transformation to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047. He further highlighted the growing global demand for skilled and semi-skilled workers and underscored the need to prepare India’s workforce to meet these emerging opportunities.

Mansukh Mandaviya called for deliberations on international labour mobility, highlighting its significance in the nation’s economic growth through remittances, and in meeting the aspirations of Bharat’s Yuva Shakti. He emphasised upon the need for coordinated efforts by the Centre and States to create a comprehensive platform for international labour mobility, supported by appropriate financial and digital infrastructure, so that Indian workers can access global opportunities while enhancing India’s credibility on the global stage. Mandaviya urged all stakeholders to participate actively in discussions at the two-day conference, with the objective of aligning the outcomes with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat, while empowering Bharat’s Shram Shakti.

Over 7 Crore Workers, Rs. 77,000 Crore Cess Fund

In his address, Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, Secretary, Labour & Employment, drew attention to the significance of the Conference, highlighting the number of construction workers across India, which stands at over 7 crores, and the BOCW cess corpus available in the country, amounting to about Rs. 77000 crores. The deliberations at the Conference provide an opportunity to share best practices and engage with industry partners, he said. Noting that the Labour Codes contain several provisions that strengthen social protection and welfare measures for BOCW workers, he said that initiatives alone are not sufficient unless the dignity of labour is kept central to the welfare agenda. He underlined the need to develop a holistic welfare model for BOCW workers, taking into account the mobility inherent in their work and ensuring that welfare facilities are designed in a manner that makes them easily accessible to workers wherever their work takes them.

Digital Initiatives Launched to Strengthen Worker Support

A Compendium of Initiatives for Building and Other Construction Workers was unveiled during the inaugural session, which was followed by presentations on best practices adopted by States/UTs, with Maharashtra presenting its Education Initiative, Haryana its Beneficiary Verification Exercise, and Uttarakhand its Health Scheme. The presentations were followed by discussions with participation from the Union Ministers and concerned State representatives.

A key highlight of Day One was the session on three national initiatives aimed at strengthening digital and facilitation mechanisms for construction workers. Presentations were made on the State BOCW Digital Labour Chowk (DLC), Labour Chowk-cum-Facilitation Centres (LCFCs) and Online BOCW Cess Collection Portal. Chhattisgarh gave a detailed presentation on its Digital Labour Chowk, Tamil Nadu on the Labour Chowk-cum-Facilitation Centres, and Keralam on the Online BOCW Cess Collection Portal. These three initiatives, as adopted by several participating States, were subsequently launched during the conference.

Several States/UTs, including Maharashtra, Telangana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Manipur, are taking forward digital and worker-centric initiatives for BOC workers, including the Digital Labour Chowk, which was launched on the occasion. Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Manipur launched Online BOCW Cess Collection Portals and Bihar and West Bengal unveiled Labour Chowk-cum-Facilitation Centres to strengthen access to employment, welfare services and transparent cess management.

The conference also deliberated on International Labour Mobility Pathways, followed by discussions with participating stakeholders. A separate session was held on the construction sector, featuring presentations by Government and industry stakeholders.

Call for Effective Utilisation of Cess Funds

In her concluding remarks, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, emphasised the need for concerted efforts to ensure the registration of all workers and establishments, along with effective utilisation of cess funds. She urged State Governments to strengthen cess collection from construction establishments and ensure the timely and transparent utilisation of accumulated funds for the welfare of workers. She highlighted that BOCW funds could be utilised for key areas such as pension and social security for ageing workers, primary education support for workers’ children, and healthcare coverage.

Karandlaje further stressed the need for renewed focus on worker safety at construction sites and the provision of basic amenities, including toilets and sanitation facilities, crèches for children of women workers, and housing support, to ensure dignified working and living conditions for the construction workforce. She appreciated the best practices adopted by various States and emphasised that successful initiatives should be shared and adopted across the country to strengthen the welfare and social security of construction workers.

Mandaviya Urges Assessment of Labour Codes, PMVBRY

In his address at the closing of Day 1, Mandaviya urged State Governments to undertake a detailed assessment of the current utilisation of cess funds, identify gaps, and explore new avenues for their effective utilisation, keeping in view the long-term welfare and social security of workers. He also called upon States to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the impact of the Labour Codes after one year of their implementation and identify areas where more effective execution may be required. Mandaviya emphasised the need for workshops and orientation programmes for labour law practitioners to facilitate effective implementation of the Codes in letter and spirit.

Highlighting the significance of the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY) in promoting employment and expanding social security coverage for new entrants to the workforce, the Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya urged State Governments to undertake focused workshops and engagements with industry and other stakeholders. Such efforts, he noted, would help create greater awareness and ensure that eligible new entrants receive the benefits of the scheme, thereby strengthening the collective efforts towards expanding formal employment and worker welfare.

The conference will continue tomorrow with sessions on the roles and responsibilities of BOCW Welfare Boards in the light of the new Labour Codes, skilling and employment, the construction sector, the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW), and Labour Stack. (ANI)

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