The Central Government is committed to protect and promote the welfare, social security, safety and health of the labourers. The Central Government has enacted the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 [BOCW (RE&CS) Act, 1996] and their

rules to regulate the employment and conditions of service of building and other construction workers and to provide for their safety, health and welfare measures and for other matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

The provisions related to Safety are covered in Chapter VII of the BOCW (RE&CS) Act 1996 and the same are enforced along with other provisions of the Act and the BOCW (RE&CS) Central Rules 1998.

The regular inspections are conducted by the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) [CLC(C)] Organisation in the Central Sphere and as per the Inspection Scheme of the Ministry of Labour & Employment, the CLC(C) organization through its field offices enforces various provisions of the BOCW (RE&CS) Act 1996 and the rules made thereunder ensuring the safety measures of workers working in construction sites in the Central Sphere.

Further, in order to augment the efforts in the direction of safety and health of construction workers, “Construction Advisory Service (CAS) Division” has been created in Directorate General of Factory Advice Service & Labour Institutes (DGFASLI). The “Construction Advisory Service (CAS) Division” at DGFASLI, Mumbai has initiated various certificate courses in the field of Construction Safety.

Compensation is provided to workers/families of the unorganized workers, employed in Building and Other Constructions works, as per welfare schemes framed and administered by the BOCW Welfare Board of the state, where the workers are registered as beneficiary. Compensation to Building Workers/their families in Central Sphere are also provided through Workmen's Compensation Commissioner appointed by State Government/UTs under the Employee’s Compensation Act, 1923.

In order to safeguard the interest of the Migrant Workers (in-specific), the Central Government had enacted the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 [ISMW Act]. As per Section 16 (g) of ISMW Act, 1979, it shall be the duty of every contractor employing inter-state migrant workmen in connection with the work of an establishment to which this Act applies, report to the specified authorities of both the States and also the next of kin of the workman in case of fatal accident or serious bodily injury to any such workman.

Further, for the welfare of construction workers including migrant construction workers, a ‘Model Welfare Scheme for Building and Other Construction Workers and Action Plan for strengthening Implementation Machinery’ was prepared by the Ministry of Labour and Employment and forwarded to all the States/UTs for its strict compliance.

Moreover, several instructions under Section 60 of the BOCW(RE&CS) Act, 1996 have been issued from time to time to State/UT BOCW Welfare Boards for optimum utilization of the cess funds for the social security and other welfare measures of the BOC workers (including migrant BOC workers).

This information was given by Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shri. Rameshwar Teli in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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