HPBOCWWB Chairman meets Joint Secretary Ministry of Labour and Employment

Chairman Himachal Pradesh Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (HPBOCWWB), Nardev Singh Kanwar, today met Joint Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, Ashutosh A. T. Pednekar at Shram Shakti Bhawan in New Delhi, today. He held a discussion over strengthening welfare schemes for registered construction workers and their families, including financial assistance, educational support and other social security benefits.

During the meeting, Sh. Kanwar highlighted the Board’s achievements and stressed the need to ensure that all eligible construction workers receive the benefits of government schemes in a transparent and timely manner.

The Chairman informed that approximately 4.77 lakh workers have been registered with the Board, while the e-KYC process has been completed for around one lakh workers.  He also emphasised the need to adopt a similar system across the country to improve the delivery of welfare schemes.

The detailed discussions were also held on the development of Labour Chowks, promotion of welfare schemes through government fair-price shops, digital Labour Chowks and the collection of construction cess in the meeting.

He informed that since January 2023, the Board has distributed approximately Rs. 108crore under various welfare schemes. The education assistance scheme has supported 15,536 beneficiaries, with Rs. 46,38,01,225 distributed to help meet their educational needs. These efforts reflect the Board’s commitment to improving access to education and financial support for construction workers and their families.

He appraised that to increase awareness of welfare schemes, the Board is also taking steps to display information through LED screens at various public places. He said that efforts are also being made to improve the progress of related initiatives and ensure that eligible workers are aware of the benefits available to them.

Sh. Kanwar further stated that the Board’s welfare schemes and working model have received appreciation from outside India as well. Delegations from Sri Lanka and Nepal have appreciated the Board’s functioning and welfare initiatives and expressed interest in adopting similar schemes in their respective countries.

The Chairman said that under the guidance and directions of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu the Board remains committed to providing social and financial security to construction workers and their families. Its key objective is to ensure that government welfare benefits reach every eligible worker in a transparent, efficient and effective manner.

The Joint Secretary appreciated the Board’s efforts and its effective implementation of welfare schemes. He also appreciated the use of e-KYC to identify eligible beneficiaries and ensure that welfare benefits reach the right people.