Parliament Question: Welfare of Construction Workers in Tamil Nadu

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 235 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.03.2026 WELFARE OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN TAMIL NADU *235. SHRI SELVAM G: SHRI C N ANNADURAI: Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has reviewed the availability of welfare facilities and social security benefits for construction labourers in Tamil Nadu under the Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Act and other related Centrally Sponsored Schemes, if so, the details thereof; (b) the total number of registered construction workers in the State and the number out of them receiving benefits such as health insurance, accident cover, pension, maternity support and education assistance during the last three years and the current year, year-wise; (c) whether delays in registration, renewal and disbursal of welfare benefits have affected construction workers, particularly migrant and informal labourers; (d) the details of the funds allocated, released and utilised for the welfare of construction workers in Tamil Nadu during the last three years and the current year, year-wise; and (e) the details of the steps taken/being taken by the Government to strengthen registration drives, improve portability of benefits, ensure safe working conditions and enhance access to housing, healthcare and social security for construction labourers in the State? MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA) (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House. * *****STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 235 DUE FOR REPLY ON 09.03.2026 BY SHRI SELVAM G AND SHRI C N ANNADURAI REGARDING “WELFARE OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN TAMIL NADU” (a) to (e): 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 Central Government through National and Regional Conferences with Labour Departments in States/UTs, reviews the progress on implementation of the codes including CoSS, 2020 and OSH & WC Code, 2020. The local authority or such other authority notified by the State Government are mandated under CoSS, 2020 to collect the cess levied at the prescribed rate by the Central Government and deposit the same to State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (BOCW Board).The State BOCW Boards are empowered and entrusted for making provisions for providing Social Security and welfare schemes relating to life and disability cover, pension, insurance, medical treatment of major health and maternity cover, financial assistance for education of wards of the registered Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW), transit housing, skill development, awareness programmes, and other etc. As per data received from the State Govt. of Tamil Nadu, a total number of 25,42,135 BOC workers are registered with their Board. As reported by State Government of Tamil Nadu, the details of fund utilized for construction workers under various schemes, are as under: Year Beneficiaries Amount (in Rs.) 2022-2023 4,88,985 378,86,11,321 2023-2024 4,99,047 508,07,24,737 2024-2025 7,45,912 691,37,13,496 2025-2026 (till Jan 2026) 7,41,814 1047,47,42,606The State Government of Tamil Nadu has informed that it has taken various steps for registration of BOC workers and migrant workers viz. special registration camps, registration facility on the web portal, online Village Administrative Office (VAO) verification, renewal facility for registration through the web portal. Benefit Claim applications are processed through online submission by the worker / nominee on the web portal and all financial assistances are disbursed directly to the beneficiaries’ bank account through Electronic Clearing Service (ECS). It has been informed that there are no delays in registration, renewal and disbursal of welfare benefits. CoSS,2020 has the provision of registration of BOC workers as a beneficiary under BOCW Board. For strengthening the machinery for registration and welfare of construction workers, a ‘Model Welfare Scheme and Action Plan for strengthening the implementation machinery had been formulated and circulated by the Central Government to all the States/UTs for its strict compliance. OSH & WC Code 2020 provides for the standard on occupational safety, health and working conditions of building and other construction workers. The Code provides, inter alia, for free annual health check-up, provision of free temporary living accommodation, safe drinking water, canteen facilities, protective equipment and safety devices, first aid etc. The Code also stipulates formation of Safety Committees consisting of employer and worker representatives to monitor safety practices in establishments employing 250 or more construction workers and provisions for appointment of safety officer. *****