Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today chaired the 22nd meeting of the Jammu & Kashmir Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (JKBOCWWB) in Srinagar to review ongoing welfare initiatives and approve key policy reforms aimed at improving the lives of construction workers and their families across the Union Territory.
The Board, funded through cess collections and interest income, currently holds a corpus of ₹1,082.58 crore in fixed deposits and savings accounts across various banks.
Lauding the Board’s progress in covering over 2.85 lakh active construction workers, the Chief Minister stressed the need for transparent, timely, and inclusive delivery of welfare benefits. He directed officials to streamline application procedures, expand outreach, and ensure no eligible worker is left behind.
Omar Abdullah also called for redefining the term “construction worker” to include vulnerable groups in the unorganised labour sector. He urged the Board to align its initiatives with national labour welfare standards and best practices.
A detailed presentation by Labour & Employment Secretary Kumar Rajiv Ranjan outlined the Board’s achievements, including ex-gratia assistance for accidental deaths, disability support, educational aid, scholarships of ₹50,000 for students scoring above 90% in Class 10 and 12, maternity and marriage assistance, and support for chronic illnesses and funeral expenses.
To improve transparency and efficiency, the Board has adopted 100% Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), Aadhaar-based authentication, online registration and renewal, and real-time SMS alerts.
Key decisions taken during the meeting include:
- Approval of scheme-wise budgets for 2024–25 and 2025–26
- Transfer of ₹17.24 crore to the UT of Ladakh as per SO 339
- Certification of audited accounts for FY 2022–23 and 2023–24
- Integration of Board schemes with broader social security programs
- Allocation of ₹10 crore for smart cards to registered workers
- Sanction of ₹60 crore for PPE kits and tools, especially in rural areas
- Launch of short-term skill training for 10,000 workers under NSDC norms
- Revision of the merit scholarship scheme with district-wise performance slabs
- Direction to finalize staff regularization and recruitment rules within six months
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, senior bureaucrats, and representatives of labour unions including the Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh and Bhartiya Dastkar Union were present at the meeting.
In his concluding remarks, the Chief Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding the rights and welfare of construction workers, especially those in remote and underserved areas, and called for forward-looking reforms backed by robust monitoring and inclusive policies.