Welfare money for workers unused: SC

The Supreme Court on Friday criticised the government for failing to implement welfare schemes meant for construction workers after squeezing thousands of crores in building cess from hapless property buyers. “Crores meant for the welfare of construction labourers lies unused in banks in various States while their children play in the sand outside building sites with no hope for the future.

Name one model State which has used the cess to better the lives of these poor people,” Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur asked the Centre.

“We admit nothing has been done,” conceded Additional Solicitor-General Maninder Singh, for the Centre.

The Building and other Construction Workers’ Welfare Cess Act of 1996 provides for levy of cess on the cost of construction incurred by employers.

Welfare board

The amount collected is deposited with the Building and Other Constructions Workers Welfare Boards. The Act requires the State governments to constitute welfare boards to provide succour to workers, including aid for their children’s education, help in case of accidents, pensions, loans and group insurance.

The lack of implementation of the law was brought to fore in a PIL petition filed by the NGO National Campaign Committee for Central Legislation on Construction Labour.

The Bench directed the Secretary of the National Legal Services Authority to hold discussions with the Secretary of the Union Labour Ministry, independently gather information on the shortfalls in the implementation of the Act and submit a report in six weeks.

‘Nothing has been done’

“We see that in States like Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Maharashtra, money collected is lying in the banks and workers do not have even spectacles to protect their eyes. We have passed order after order, but nothing has been done,” Chief Justice Thakur said.

At an earlier hearing, the court had noted that Rs. 27,000 crore was collected in cess from the public, including from the hard-earned savings of residential flat buyers. However, less than a fraction of this was spent for the welfare of the workers.