Social Security for Construction Workers

The Government has enacted the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 and the Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Cess Act, 1996 with a view to regulating the employment and conditions of service of building and other construction workers and to provide for their safety, health and welfare measures etc. Under the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996, every State Government has to constitute a State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board. The functions of the Board include providing welfare and social security measure such as immediate assistance to a beneficiary in case of accident, payment of pension to the beneficiaries who have completed the age of 60 years, loan and advances for construction of house, paying amount in connection with premia for Group Insurance Scheme etc.

The Government has also enacted the Unorganized Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008 for the social security and welfare of unorganized workers which includes building and other construction worker.

The responsibility of collecting cess and its utilization for welfare activities lies with the respective State Governments and State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Boards. The Central Government has been impressing upon the State Governments to implement the provisions of the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 and the Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Cess Act, 1996 effectively. The Central Government has issued directions to all States/UTs under Section 60 of the Building and Other Construction Workers Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service (RECS) Act, 1996 for proper Implementation of the Act.