Parliament Question: Social security schemes for construction workers

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2337 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2026 SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEMES FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS 2337. SHRI K.R. SURESH REDDY: Will the Minister of Labour and Employment be pleased to state: (a) the various social security schemes being implemented for construction labourers in the country; (b) the details of funds collected by Government under the Workers’ Welfare Cess in Telangana and utilized for the welfare of construction workers there during the last three years; and (c) the steps undertaken by Government to ensure better and proper utilization of such funds, as well as for overall welfare and development of construction workers in the country? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE) (a) to (c): The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 and the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Cess Act, 1996 are subsumed in the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (OSH & WC Code, 2020) and the Code on Social Security, 2020 (CoSS, 2020). These Codes have come into force from 21.11.2025. The State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Boards (BOCW Boards) implement welfare schemes for registered construction workers including life and disability cover, pension, insurance, medical treatment of major ailments, maternity benefits, financial assistance for education of wards of workers, transit housing, skill development and awareness programmes. Under the provisions relating to levy and collection of cess, the local authority or such other authority notified by the State Government collects the cess levied at the prescribed rate by the Central Government and deposits the same with the State BOCW Contd..2/-:: 2 :: Welfare Boards. As reported by the State Government of Telangana, the total cess collected is ₹6,072.56 crore and the funds utilized during the last three years are as under: Year Total Funds Utilized (₹ in Crores) 2022–23 411.15 2023–24 1478.08 2024–25 1020.50 The utilization of cess fund by the States/UTs is monitored by Monitoring Committee constituted by the Central Government. The Committee interacts with Labour Department and BOCW Welfare Board at regular intervals. Further, the Central Government reviews the progress of implementation of the provisions relating to building and other construction workers through National and Regional Conferences with Labour Departments in States/UTs. The OSH & WC Code, 2020 also provides standards for occupational safety, health and welfare of construction workers, including provisions relating to free annual health check-up, safe drinking water, temporary accommodation, protective equipment, first aid facilities and formation of Safety Committees in establishments employing the prescribed number of workers. *****