Kohima, March 28 (DIPR): Construction workers in Nagaland will get some relief as the State Government launched the Nagaland Building and Other Construction Workers’ (NBOCW) welfare Scheme for the benefit of registered members at Hotel Japfu on March 28 by State Chief Secretary Lalthara IAS.
Under the department of Labour, Government of Nagaland, the Nagaland Building and others Construction Workers Welfare Board has been constituted and the Board has finalised several welfare schemes to benefit the construction workers. The Board has so far registered 228 beneficiaries till date; 68 members from Zhavame Builders Association and 220 from Vilelie Construction Company.
State Chief Secretary said that this exercise is aimed at ushering in the local youths in to the workforce, which in term will minimise the unemployment problem and boost the States economy by checking financial drain from the State through the immigrant workers. It is wrong to think that construction works should be done by non-local only. He said that people would have to change their perspective towards that notion. He termed that construction workers hold a very respectable and stable job.
He said that without construction nothing would progress. Development comes with construction and that it is the construction workers who contribute to the progress. Congratulating the Zhavame Builders Association, Lalthara said that they are the pioneers of the registered members and history will remember them. Commenting that their skills on stone works were exceptional, he advised them to expand their working skills to other areas such as cement, bricks and mortars as well. Lalthara was of the view that traditionally Nagas have good working skills, especially in wood works, which is appreciated all over the world. He however said that construction work should be taken up by local labours as well since construction is the biggest industry in the State and requested the workers to get themselves' registered so as to reap the benefits of the schemes provided by the State Government under the NBOCW Welfare Scheme for the Benefit of Registered Members. He added that construction is not a difficult job, which pays well and also creates employment for skill workers.
Lalthara hoped that the schemes will help change the mindset of the Nagas and that other contractors will follow Vilelie who has taken the lead in registering his workers.
President Zhavame Builders Association, Tho-o Adu Domeh thanked the State Government for launching the NBOCW Welfare Schemes for the Benefit of the Registered Members. Feeling proud to be first registered group in Nagaland, he said that they started with 14 members and has grown up to 68 members. Stating that they were uneducated with no guidance, he thanked the Labour department for showing the way and for registering them as members.
Nagaland Contractor Vilelie encouraged the labours to enjoy the benefits of the scheme by getting themselves registered. He also suggested the Labour department to call on the Nagaland Contractors and explained the various schemes and benefits of the welfare scheme. He was also of the view that every contractor and construction companies should get their workers registered.
Formally launching the programme Nagaland Chief Secretary Lalthara, IAS handed over, to the two registered groups, the ID cards issued by the department of Labour and an amount of Rs. 1.36 lakhs to Zhavame Builders Association (68 members) and Rs. 4.40 lakhs to Vilalie Construction Company (220 members) as Grants for purchase of tools.
The programme was chaired by Project Officer, Directorate of Labour, T. Chubayanger while Joint Labour Commissioner, HoD, Er. L. Nungshiyanger Aier proposed the vote of thanks.
About Nagaland Building and Other Construction Workers’ Rules
The Nagaland State Building and Other Construction Workers' (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2010, which came into force from 6th August 2011, is for regulating the employment and condition of services of building and construction workers in Nagaland and also to provide for their safety, health and welfare measures. Under the State Rules it is mandatory for the employer of such establishment to which this Act applies, to registered its establishment giving particular like name and location, nature of building or other construction works to be carried on, maximum number of building workers to be employed on any day, estimate date of commencement of work, estimate date of completion of work etc. The defaulters are liable for legal action as per provision under the Act. This will also establish a concrete documentation for the department as well as the State Government in matters relating to establishments covered by the above Act.
Under the provision of the State Rules, the Welfare Board has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Advisor IT & C, Vikho-o Yhoshü, Project Officer, Directorate of Labour, T. Chubayanger Aier as Secretary and other members to regulate and implement the different welfare schemes for the benefit of the registered beneficiaries.
All establishments involved in construction activities (including central establishment) are required to pay the specific cess towards the Welfare Fund created under the Welfare Board. Such deposits can be done against the following name and account number. NBOCW Welfare Board, A/C No. 32121287499, SBI Main Branch, Kohima.
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