BOCW SCHEME

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In a recent written reply to the Rajya Sabha, the Minister of Labour and Employment offered insightful commentary on the 1996 Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act.

Facts about Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996

• The BOCW Act, also known as the Building and Other Construction employees (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act of 1996, is crucial in defending the rights and interests of employees in the construction industry.
• Major Provisions:

• The establishment of State Welfare Boards to oversee the welfare fund and to offer registered employees a variety of benefits including accident insurance, medical help, education support, housing assistance, pensions, etc.
• the establishment of work schedules, pay for overtime, the exclusion of certain people from working in specific building or construction projects, the provision of drinking water, restrooms, urinals, lodging, crèches, first aid, canteens, etc.
• the creation of safety committees and officials at each location, as well as the formulation of regulations for the employees' health and safety in construction.
• It calls for the imposition and collection of a cess at a rate between 1% and 2% of the building cost, as the central government may specify.

• Eligible Beneficiaries: According to the regulations, every person who has worked in building or construction for at least 90 days in the previous 12 months and is between the ages of 18 and 60 is qualified to register with the State Welfare Boards as a beneficiary.
• Implementation:

• Under Section 22 of the Act, the State/UT BOCW Welfare Boards are in charge of implementing welfare programmes for building and construction workers, including health, maternity assistance, transit housing, life insurance, and skill development.
• These welfare programmes attempt to improve the livelihoods and general well-being of the employees who make important contributions to the construction industry.

• Recent Developments to Streamline Registration Process: Recognizing the need for simplification and accessibility, the government introduced various measures to ease the registration/enrollment process:

• The implementation of a Unique Identification Number is intended to speed up identification procedures and increase productivity for registered building and construction employees.
• Locally qualified officers: A more decentralised and open registration procedure is facilitated by the delegation or appointment of qualified personnel at the local, municipal, and panchayat levels.
• Self-Certification: Self-certification allows employees to supply accurate information without having to be present in person, speeding up the registration procedure.
• Facilitation Centres and Camps: To improve accessibility, the government set up facilitation centres in well-known labour chowks and addas and held regular camps. These facilities give employees a practical way to sign up for benefits and update their information.

Other Government Schemes Related to Construction Workers

• Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM).
• National Initiative for Promotion of Upskilling of Nirman workers (NIPUN).
• Model Welfare Scheme for Building and Other Construction Workers and Action Plan for Strengthening Implementation Machinery.

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