3-year fee has to be paid in one go, says labour dept

KAPURTHALA : The Punjab labour department has made it mandatory for construction workers to submit at least three years of registration fees in one instalment, to avail labour schemes with the Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Board. The step has been taken to increase registration of construction workers with the board.

Earlier, the department was not collecting more than three months of fee in one installment from eligible beneficiaries.

The labour department issued the new notification to district labour departments across the state last week.

The department charges ₹10 as monthly contribution fees for registration from each beneficiary which means that now, the workers will have to pay ₹360 in one installment to become a member of the BOCW board.

The board members are eligible for welfare schemes including financial assistance to the families in case of an accident, stipend scheme for children, old age pension and shagun scheme.

Asssitant labour commissioner Sukhjinder Singh said the decision was taken to increase membership with department.

WORKERS OPPOSE

Meanwhile, labour organisations in the state have opposed the new notification citing that it would increase duplicity and fake enrolment of workers.

“Under the rules, a worker should work for minimum 90 days in a year to remain a member. But if the department collects three years of membership fees in one go, the workers will automatically be eligible for benefits,” said Vijay Walia, president of centre for social change and equity organisation.

Walia said the decision would increase duplication in the enrolment process as after paying the one-time instalment, many workers, completing 60 years of age will become eligible for ₹2,000 per month pension from BOCW board.

“It should be optional for labourers to submit three years’ or five years’ fee in a one-time payment. After this, many poor labourers are not willing to remain a member of the board.” Surinder Kumar, a Kapurthalabased labour union member said.

EARLIER, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WAS NOT COLLECTING MORE THAN THREE MONTHS OF FEE IN ONE INSTALLMENT

LABOUR DEPT FAILING TO UTILISE CESS

The labour department is already under Punjab and Haryana high court’s wrap for not utilising funds of the board efficiently.

As per records, the department has managed to register about six lakh workers out of which, active members are only 3.33 lakh till May 31, 2017.

Due to these reasons, funds are not being collected in lieu of cess. The labour department has collected about ₹101.5 crore cess and has spent about ₹467 crore towards distribution of benefits to beneficiaries and other administrative expenses.