Labour ministry launches centralised portal for construction workers

The government launched the Building and Other Construction Workers (BoCW) Management Information System (MIS) portal to register construction workers for various welfare schemes. During a review meeting chaired by Labour Secretary Sumita Dawra, states and UTs were instructed to register on the portal and update details, including fund utilization and worker registrations. The portal will centralize data management and support the extension of central and state schemes, such as Ayushman Cards under PM-JAY, insurance under PM-JJBY, and disability protection under PM-SBY. Currently, 57 million workers are registered with state welfare boards, with Rs 66,000 crores spent on benefits from a Rs 1.15 trillion cess fund. The Ministry urged states/UTs to integrate BoC workers' data with the E-Shram portal for broader access to welfare schemes. The meeting also reviewed states' progress on finalizing rules under the new labor codes, with plans for regional meetings to enhance collaboration on labor reforms.