The issue of identity cards to the construction workers as per the provisions of the ‘Building and other construction workers Act, 1996 has remained a non-starter in the state.
Against a target of 10 lakh workers, only 16,424 workers engaged in various construction activities in the state have been provided identity cards.
Though the government started the process from January this year, it couldn’t make significant headway till date mainly due to lack of awareness and shortage of employees at the district level, sources said.
The workers who were to be issued identity cards included workers in the un-organised sectors like construction, alteration, repair, maintenance, demolition of or in relation to the buildings, roads, railways, airfields, irrigation, drainage, embankment, generation, transmission and distribution of power, water works, oil and gas installation, electric lines, wireless, radio and television among others. Similarly, about 2,70,000 workers engaged in works under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) were also to be given this identity card, enabling them to avail the benefits of the schemes like Rastriya Swastha Vima Yojana (RSVY).
Official sources said, the project couldn’t make significant headway as the District Labour Officer (DLO) don’t have adequate number of staff and vehicles at their disposal to properly implement the scheme. It may be noted, the workers provided with identity cards are entitled to get benefits like accidental benefit, pension, insurance compensation and assistance for the education of their children among others.
