Shimla: Apathy towards workers welfare was exposed as a Comptroller and Auditor Report (CAG) revealed that despite having a kitty of Rs 107 Cr fund collections, only Rs 4 lakhs was spent in three years (2009-2012).
What was worse that though the Buildings and other Construction Workers Welfare (B&OCWW) Act was passed in the year 1996 but the board to implement the welfare schemes was only constituted 12 years later.
The CAG audit has pointed out that crucial aspects of identification of beneficiaries and registration of establishment and implementation of welfare schemes for workers was not given due priority. As a result of which huge amount of fund remained unspent with the board.
Report says that the board had aggregating receipts of Rs 107.46 cr (Rs 107.41 Cr as cess and Rs 5 lacs as subscription for 2009 -2012 and the expenditure on welfare schemes for workers was Rs 4 lacs only.
Of the mandatory 18 meeting for the three year period only 10 were held and no meeting was held after July 2012 whereas it is mandatory to hold a meeting once in six months, under the rules.
Saurabh Chauhan, an independent journalist, has 10 years of experience in Print and Digital Media. He has written on a variety of issues including women’s rights, environment, crime, governance, finance and politics at Shimla, Chandigarh and Lucknow. Saurabh is currently based in Lucknow.
This is revealing another sordid tale of government apathy where massive resources are collected for a specific purpose but do not get utilized due to politico-bureaucratic nexus. The workers for whom these funds have been collected continue to work and languish in sub-human conditions. The general public pays for these funds indirectly as these come from the consolidated fund of the State but even the public does not know what is going on. The custodians of labour welfare make hay even while ignoring the real labour welfare! When this institutional mechanism was put in place tall claims were made about a rosy picture in the context of the conditions of work and general labour welfare. The dough keeps coming and the controlling authorities continue earning interest on the accruals. Same is the story of CAMPA and several other funds constituted in this manner.