The labour ministry has asked states to extend social security benefits to ensure 100 per cent coverage like health, insurance, and accidental benefits for all workers, besides leveraging technology to enhance the functioning of welfare boards.

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The ministry view emerged at the 16th Building & Other Construction Workers(BoCW) 'Monitoring Committee Meeting', chaired by Union Labour Secretary Sumita Dawra, on January 13, 2025, in hybrid mode, as per the ministry statement.

The meeting was attended by DG Labour Welfare, other senior officers of the ministry, additional chief secretary/ principal secretaries/ labour commissioners, of states/UTs, secretaries of BoCW welfare boards, central welfare commissioners, besides representatives from the National Health Authority, and Department of Financial Services.

More than 100 participants attended the meeting.

As per the statement, Dawra said the states/UTs take required steps for utilisation of cess fund for extending coverage of social security to BoC workers.

It was noted that presently there are about 5.73 crore workers registered with the BoCW welfare boards of various states and UTs across the country, and with the cumulative amount of balance funds available with the boards as on September 30, 2024, there was ample availability of resources that may be judiciously utilised for the welfare of the BoC workers, duly focussing the uncovered population.

She highlighted the urgent need for BoCW welfare boards to diligently work to provide social security by strengthening registration machinery, API integration of data of BoCW boards with eShram by all states/UTs, and extending social security benefits to ensure 100 per cent coverage like health, insurance, accidental benefits for all workers, besides leveraging technology to enhance the functioning of the welfare boards.

Setting up an effective grievance redressal mechanism, ensuring training of workers in safety measures and modern building techniques, timely payment of minimum wages, besides updating of data on the central MIS portal regarding coverage of BoCW under welfare schemes were emphasised.

During the meeting, Uttarakhand and Assam BOCW welfare boards highlighted the good practices of their respective boards, as part of knowledge sharing.

Health and Family Welfare Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava also participated in the meeting and made an intervention in eradication of tuberculosis among the construction workers, requesting the BoCW welfare boards to take part in intensifying the campaign of 'Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan' organised by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

In this context, Dawra requested all state/UT governments to organise health screenings for BoC workers, including migrant workers on campaign mode.

Important issues related to amendment to 'Model Welfare Scheme' for coverage of registered BoCW workers under the central social security schemes such as PMJJBY/PMSBY/PM-JAY/PMSYM; construction of educational institutions/schools from BoCW Cess Fund; BoCW data integration/onboarding with eShram portal; CAG Audit and Social Audit; data submission on BoCW MIS portal; automatic transfer of benefits to BoCW, etc, were discussed during the meeting.