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The Punjab government has launched a statewide campaign to register and revalidate 10 lakh construction workers free of cost, aiming to expand access to welfare benefits and social security schemes. Announced by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during a review meeting of the Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Welfare Board, the initiative will waive all registration and renewal charges for workers. The state plans to organise special registration camps across villages and urban centres to increase enrolment, as only 2.21 lakh workers are currently registered despite extensive construction activity and urbanisation. The drive is intended to improve coverage under welfare schemes, streamline benefit delivery and ensure that a larger segment of the construction workforce receives financial assistance, healthcare support, education benefits and skill development opportunities.
The Punjab government has announced a large-scale enrolment campaign to register and revalidate 10 lakh construction workers free of charge, seeking to expand the reach of welfare schemes and social security benefits among labourers employed in the state’s construction sector. The initiative was unveiled by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during a review meeting of the Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Welfare Board in the past week.
Under the campaign, the state government will bear the entire cost of registration and renewal, removing fees that may have acted as a barrier for workers seeking enrolment. The administration has also directed officials to conduct special registration camps across Punjab and take welfare schemes directly to labourers to improve participation and awareness.
According to the Chief Minister, Punjab has witnessed significant construction activity and rapid urbanisation in recent years, yet only 2.21 lakh workers are currently registered with the BOCW Welfare Board. The government considers this figure inadequate when compared with the size of the state's construction workforce and has therefore set an ambitious target of bringing 10 lakh workers into the welfare system.
During the review, Mann stated that the government is committed to ensuring that every eligible construction worker receives access to social security measures, welfare assistance and opportunities for skill development. He observed that despite the availability of substantial funds within the welfare framework, the intended benefits had not reached enough workers because of procedural delays and limited enrolment. The administration has therefore directed officials to simplify processes and accelerate registrations.
The Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board administers a range of benefits for registered workers, including financial assistance, education support, healthcare-related schemes and other welfare measures. By increasing registrations, the government aims to broaden the beneficiary base and ensure that welfare resources are utilised more effectively.
Officials have been instructed to organise registration and revalidation camps at the grassroots level, enabling workers to complete documentation and enrolment formalities closer to their workplaces and residences. The government expects the decentralised approach to improve accessibility and reduce processing times for applications.
The initiative comes as states across India seek to strengthen social protection mechanisms for construction workers, a large portion of whom are employed in informal or temporary roles. In Punjab, the latest campaign is expected to significantly increase the number of workers covered under welfare programmes while creating a more comprehensive database of labourers engaged in the construction sector.
Source - PTI
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