Lok Sabha Question No. 4020 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: Welfare of Construction Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Dr. Shashi Tharoor

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4020 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025

## WELFARE OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS

4020. DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)the status of implementation of the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulations of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 and the rules under the Act;
- (b)the allocation and utilisation of funds collected under the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Cess Act, 1996, including the process for disbursement of these funds to support the welfare of construction workers;
- (c)the details of the initiatives or programmes implemented by the Government to improve safety standards and working conditions for  construction  workers,  along  with  an  assessment  of  their
- effectiveness;
- (d)the  details  of  the  number  of  complaints  or  grievances  filed  by construction workers regarding safety violations, non-payment of wages or lack of adequate protections during the last five years and the current year;
- (e)whether the Government proposes any legal or regulatory measures to address the issues of worker safety and welfare in the construction sector; and
- (f)if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

- (a) to (f): The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of  Employment  and  Conditions  of  Service)  Act,1996  (Act)  and  the Building  and  Other  Construction  Workers  Welfare  Cess  Act,  1996 (Cess Act),  have been subsumed in the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020 and the Code on Social Security (SS Code), 2020, respectively. Both the Codes were notified on 29.09.2020.

Under the Cess Act,  cess at the rate of 1% of the total cost of construction, is collected by the State Government or Local Authority and transferred to the State BOCW Welfare Board (Board) to  fund  the  functioning  of  the  Board.  The  funds  so  collected  are utilized by the Boards to provide social security benefits, including accidental assistance, education of wards, loans and advances for housing, pension, insurance, medical assistance, maternity benefit etc. to building workers. The process for disbursement of these funds is managed by the respective Board.

The  Central  Government  has  devised  a  well-designed inspection scheme of the establishments. Special programmes are organized from time to time for implementation of safety measures through inspection at construction sites in the Central Sphere under the  provisions  of  the  Act  to  enforce  the  compliance  of  safety provisions. Besides, sensitization programmes for safety measures are also conducted from time to time. The details pertaining to the

State sphere in this regard are maintained by the concerned State.

The  respective  Board  maintains  updated  data  on  the number of complaints or grievances filed by construction workers regarding safety violations, non-payment of wages, etc.

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