Lok Sabha Question No. 1206 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-08
Subject: Allegations against Digital Initiatives for Construction Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Eatala Rajender, Shri Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, Shri Vijayakumar Alias Vijay Vasanth

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1206 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.12.2025

## ALLEGATIONS AGAINST DIGITAL INITIATIVES FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS

1206. SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH: SHRI EATALA RAJENDER: SHRI CHAMALA KIRAN KUMAR REDDY:

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

- (a)whether  the  Government  consulted  Central  Trade  Unions  before launching the Digital Labour Chowk portal, Labour Chowk Facilitation Centres (LCFCs), the new Cess Collection Portal and if so, the details
- thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b)whether the Construction Workers Federation of India (CWFI) have requested to review the recent launch of the Digital Labour Chowk Portal/App, the establishment of Labour Chowk Facilitation Centres (LCFCs),  the  new  Online  Building  and  Construction  Workers  Cess Collection Portal and role of State and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)whether the G overnment has taken note of the Construction Workers' Federation of India's (CWFI) allegation that the said digital initiatives are  aimed  at  'de -unionising'  construction  workers  and  if  so,  the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d)whether the Government has conducted any impact assessment on the  manner  in  which  the  said  digital  platforms  will  affect  the constitutional rights of workers to organise and unionise and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e)whether the Digital Labour Chowk platform enables or encourages employers to bypass registered trade unions in workers hiring and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f)whether the Government has ensured that the said platforms will not be used for surveillance, profiling or data-driven control over construction workers and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a) to (f): The  Central  Government  is  committed  to  protect  and promote  the  welfare,  social  security,  safety  and  health  of  building workers. The provisions related to the same have also been provided in Contd..2/-

the Code on Social Security, 2020 (CoSS, 2020) and the Occupational Safety,  Health  and  Working  Conditions  Code,  2020  (OSH  &  WC  Code,

2020), which have come into force on 21.11.2025.

The  Central  Government  has  introduced  a  customizable mobile application for digital labour chowk, to be utilized by States/UTs after its customisation as per their requirement, with a view to connect the  employer  and  labour,  digitally,  in  addition  to  the  physical  labour chowk.

The Central Government in consultation with States/UTs is also  committed  for  upgradation  of  existing  labour  chowks  to  Labour Chowk  cum  Facilitation  Centre  (LCFC)  to  improve  labour  chowk infrastructure with amenities like drinking water, toilets, creches etc.

The Central Government has also introduced a software for online  collection  of  BOCW  Cess,  to  be  customized  and  utilized  by States/UTs at their own level as per their requirements with a view to provide  them  a  comprehensive  digital  mechanism  for  collection  of

BOCW Cess more effectively.

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