Siwan. Bihar Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board has emerged as a strong pillar towards bringing safety, respect and stability in the lives of construction workers of Bihar. For millions of workers working in the unorganized sector, this board is not just a government institution but is becoming the guarantee of their future. With the effective implementation of two important laws made by the Central Government in the year 1996—the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Service Conditions) Act, 1996 and the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Cess Act, 1996—concrete changes have started to be seen in the lives of construction workers.
To implement these laws, the state government notified the Bihar Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Service Conditions) Rules, 2005 and its amended rules 2016. Under these provisions, Bihar Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board was formed, whose objective is to ensure the working conditions, health, safety and social welfare of the construction workers.
Who are construction workers?
Under the ambit of the board, unskilled laborers engaged in building and road construction, masons and their assistants, carpenters, blacksmiths, painters, electricians, plumbers, shuttering welding workers, concrete mixer drivers, women laborers (Riza), roller drivers, laborers engaged in bridge-dam construction, operators of modern machines, watchmen, brick-kiln and stone breakers, temporary workers working in big projects like railway-airport and workers working under MNREGA. (except horticulture and forestry). That means almost every worker who is associated with construction. Can come under the protection of this board.
Registration: the first step to profit
To avail the benefits of Welfare Board schemes, registration of construction workers is mandatory. Workers in the age group of 18 to 60 years, who have worked for at least 90 days in the previous year, can become members. For registration, only Rs 20 registration fee and Rs 30 contribution for 5 years – in total only Rs 50 have to be paid. Application can be made with Aadhar card, age certificate, bank account details and two photographs. This registration is valid for 5 years, which can also be renewed later. In rural areas, Panchayat Rozgar Sevaks (PRS) visit construction sites and collect applications, while in urban areas, registration is done through District Verification Committee. After verification all the details are uploaded into the online software and identity cards are issued to the workers.
Welfare fund is created from cess
Welfare programs for construction workers are funded by a 1 percent cess levied on construction costs. This cess is applicable on all government, semi-government and private construction works. There is a provision for interest, fine and even criminal action against those who do not deposit the cess on time. This creates a permanent fund with the board, from which the workers get direct benefits.
Welfare schemes: Every need taken care of
The schemes run by the Board touch every walk of life of construction workers. Assistance of Rs 50,000 for daughter’s marriage, 90 days’ amount equivalent to minimum wages under maternity benefit, paternity benefit, cash awards to meritorious children, provision of tuition fees for studies in institutes like ITI, Polytechnic, B.Tech, even IIM and AIIMS – these schemes are giving wings to the dreams of labor families. Apart from this, schemes like building repair grant, bicycle purchase assistance, monthly pension of Rs 1,000 after the age of 60, disability and family pension, death benefit assistance of Rs 2 to 4 lakh, financial help in flood crisis, tool purchase grant, annual medical and clothing assistance are also included. The special thing is that all the benefits are sent directly to the beneficiary’s bank account through RTGS, due to which transparency is maintained.
The basic objective of Bihar Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board is to make the lives of construction workers and their families safe and to give them a respectable future. Comprehensive security, education, health and social cooperation at low contribution – this is the biggest strength of this board. In true sense, this board is becoming a guarantee of hope, trust and a happy tomorrow for the construction workers of Bihar.
