More than six lakh construction workers in the state are yet to receive the benefits promised to them under the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar said on Sunday.
Speaking at a workshop on the act, organised by the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority, he said the total number of construction workers in the state is estimated to be between 8 and 10 lakh.
“In terms of manpower, the construction sector is the second biggest in the country. But as it is an unorganised sector, the workers are being exploited. We have 11 schemes in Karnataka for the construction workers and have a budget of `520 crore for the purpose,” Shettar added calling upon them to register themselves to reap the benefits of these schemes.
Taking part in the seminar, Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Vikramajit Sen said, “Close to `1,400 crore have been collected as cess under the Act. But it is not being utilized. We are focusing our efforts on dealing with the issues related to malnutrition and education of workers’ children. There is a need to create awareness about this.”
Echoing similar views, Supreme Court Judge Altamas Kabir said the aim of the Act is to bring some order and regulation to a largely unorganised sector without any backups or protection for the workers.
He also launched a bus donated by the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) which will visit construction sites in the city and enrol workers in order to make sure that they receive the benefits of the schemes launched by the Government.
Labour Minister B N Bacche Gowda said that the state would soon start the option of online registrations in order to facilitate more registrations.
Stating that there would be a increase in schemes under the Act, Bacche Gowda said, “We have the funds. We shall make use of it.”
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