‘Government has reaffirmed its commitment for a welfare state’

Kohima, March 28 (MExN): Principal Secretary, Labour & Employment, CJ Ponraj, IAS while delivering the keynote address said that the government has reaffirmed its commitment for a welfare state by launching the NBOCW Welfare Schemes for the benefit of registered members. He said that the workers all over the country face a lot of problems including job security, wage discrimination, security etc. In Nagaland, he said there are approximately about 9 lakh workers out of which about 50,000 constitute the building and construction workers. 

With a view to address the issues faced by the construction workers, Ponraj said that the Government of India enacted two legislations viz The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services) Act 1996 and The Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Cess Act, 1996. These progressive legislations were enacted to provide a decent working environment to the construction workers in respect of their safety, security and health at the work place. It applies to every establishment which employs, or had employed on any day of the preceding 12 months, 10 or more building workers in any building or other construction work he added.

The State government has levy 1% cess on construction cost on builders and contractors on all projects costing more than Rs. 10 lakh which will contribute towards constituting a welfare fund designed to provide welfare measures to the construction workers in the likes of Group Insurance, Financial Assistance of the school going children, Housing Allowance, Grant for purchase of tools, Maternity Benefit for women worker, Old Age Pension etc annexed to the State Rules, he added. 

He also mentioned that there is a provision under the State Rules for registration of building and other construction workers as beneficiaries to entitle them the benefits provided by the Board. He therefore asked the Unions and workers to get registered with the Board and also asked the registered members to share their problems face by them and make suggestions in ways that the Government can improve. He advised the builders and contractors to deduct the 1% cess amount and be a part of the welfare programme.