Labour Force is the Cornerstone of National Development: Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Stresses at National BOCW Conference
Distilled Policy Brief
- The Ministry of Labour and Employment, in partnership with the Maharashtra government, organized a national conference in Mumbai on Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) to deliberate on welfare, skill development, and social security.
- India currently has over 7 crore construction workers and an accumulated BOCW cess fund of approximately Rs. 77,000 crore, highlighting the need for optimal fund utilization and robust digital infrastructure.
- The conference witnessed the launch of key digital initiatives including the Digital Labour Chowk (DLC), Labour Chowk-Sah-Suvidha Kendra (LCFC), and Online BOCW Cess Collection Portals by various states to streamline worker mobility and welfare delivery.
🎯 Prelims High-Yield Examination Points
The Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Act regulates the employment and working conditions of construction workers, and the cess funds collected are managed by respective State BOCW Welfare Boards.
⚖️ Mains Analytical & Syllabus Linkages
Analyze the challenges in utilizing BOCW cess funds across states and discuss measures to leverage digital public infrastructure for portable social security and global mobility of Indian workforce in alignment with Vikasit Bharat 2047.
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to the recent national conference on Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) organized by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, consider the following statements: 1. India currently has over 7 crore construction workers with an accumulated BOCW cess fund of approximately Rs. 77,000 crore. 2. Key digital initiatives launched during the conference include the Digital Labour Chowk (DLC) and Labour Chowk-Sah-Suvidha Kendra (LCFC) to streamline worker mobility and welfare delivery. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- [A] 1 only
- [B] 2 only
- [C] Both 1 and 2
- [D] Neither 1 nor 2
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
Both statements are correct based on the policy briefing from the Ministry of Labour and Employment. India has over 7 crore construction workers and an accumulated BOCW cess fund of around Rs. 77,000 crore. Additionally, digital initiatives like the Digital Labour Chowk (DLC) and Labour Chowk-Sah-Suvidha Kendra (LCFC) were launched during the national conference in Mumbai to improve worker mobility and welfare.
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.