BENGALURU: The Co-ordination Committee of Karnataka State Construction Workers’ Unions’ pointed out flaws in the Modi government’s draft code on social security welfare, announced during the recent Budget, in a round table discussion on Wednesday.
They discussed the proposal to replace 44 labour laws in the country, with four codes and its impact on construction workers.
“By doing so, they intend to nullify the existing Construction Workers Welfare Board and the one per cent cess collected from builders meant to provide construction workers pension, maternity benefits, child’s education, housing and compensation in case of accidental death.
"An amount of Rs 8,000 crore cess in the state and Rs 44,000 crore collected nationally will no longer be disbursed if the code is implemented,” said Mahanthesh, secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions.
The aspect of a universal social security scheme aimed at reaching all kinds of labourers and not just construction workers, would mean not a penny reaches the worker in reality, the unions argued.
Threat of privatisation
Vasantakumar Hittanagi, former Joint Labour Commissioner for GOI and CEO BOCW (Building And Other Construction Workers) Welfare Board for Karnataka called out the code for being eyewash.
“They want a universal registration when existing laws are not able to register workers due to the migratory nature of the job. No worker will come forward and register themselves at the board office. The biggest threat with this bill, however, is privatisation,” Hittanagi said.
“There is a hidden agenda revealed towards the end of the draft code where intermediary agencies will do the job of the welfare board,” he added.
He pointed out that this would lead to fake registration and lack of government control on the disbursement of funds meant for workers.
Social activist from CIVIC Kathyayini Chamraj, said, “The code says 1/10th of a worker’s payment will have to be contributed to avail social security benefits. Several cannot afford to pay even this amount and there is no financial contribution from the government.”
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