The two-day National Conference on Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW), organised by the Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India, in collaboration with Government of Maharashtra, concluded today in Mumbai. The conference, held on September 11–12, 2026, brought together representatives of the Central Government, State/UT Governments, BOCW Welfare Boards and other stakeholders to deliberate on issues concerning the welfare, skilling, employment and social protection of construction workers. Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Labour and Employment and Youth Affairs and Sports, chaired Day 1 of the Conference, in presence of Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

In his opening remarks on Day 2, the Secretary elaborated upon the current challenges and opportunities in the BOCW sector. Strengthening the skill ecosystem and placing dignity of labour at the centre of policy and programme design, he stressed, is critical to building a more responsive, inclusive and resilient labour ecosystem. He highlighted the need to address information and accessibility asymmetries in the labour market and strengthen mechanisms that facilitate better linkages between jobseekers and employers.

The Secretary underlined that the mobility of workers, both interstate and international, should be duly considered while designing social security and welfare schemes, and called for greater attention to occupational health, physical safety and other workplace concerns of construction workers.

Appreciating the best practices shared by States and UTs during the Conference, he encouraged greater exchange of experiences and more frequent virtual engagements between the Centre and States for sustained collaboration and mutual learning.

Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment, delivered the opening remarks on Day 2 of the National Conference on BOCW, setting the tone for the day’s deliberations. https://t.co/rBEgP0gmEE

— Ministry of Labour & Employment, GoI (@LabourMinistry) September 12, 2026

Looking ahead, the Secretary outlined key pathways for strengthening the BOCW welfare ecosystem, including consolidation of the diverse measures being undertaken and greater use of actuarial analysis to support sustainable welfare interventions.

The second day of the Conference commenced with a session on “Roles and Responsibilities of BOCW Welfare Boards in the light of the New Labour Codes.” The session featured presentations by various States/UTs, highlighting their initiatives and best practices aimed at strengthening welfare and service delivery for Building and Other Construction Workers.

Uttar Pradesh presented its work on Skill Development of Building Workers, while Rajasthan shared its experience with Digital Labour Chowks. Bihar highlighted the Shram Seva Suvidha Kendras, and Assam presented the Nirman Sakhi Portal. The presentations were followed by discussions among the participating States/UTs and stakeholders, providing an opportunity to share experiences and approaches in strengthening delivery of welfare and employment-related services to BOC workers.

The Conference thereafter held a dedicated session on Skilling and Employment, including a presentation on skilling by the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and a presentation on India's employment growth story by the Ministry of Labour & Employment, followed by discussions.

A session on the Labour Stack was also held, and deliberations were done on the Construction Sector and Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW), with a presentation and subsequent discussion on the subject.

The deliberations during the two-day Conference provided a platform for States and UTs to share their experiences and practices and to discuss measures for strengthening welfare, skilling, employment and service delivery mechanisms for Building and Other Construction Workers.

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Rini Choudhury/Anjelina Alexander

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