BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Government has collected over Rs 1,400 crore towards welfare cess from both Government and private organisations. Out of it, over Rs 850 crore has been spent for welfare of 11.5 lakh beneficiaries. So far, a whopping 22.34 lakh construction workers have been registered which makes at least 1 crore people eligible for social security benefits under the umbrella of Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board (OBOCWW).
According to chairperson of OBOCWW Subash Singh, registration of construction workers and deposits of annual contribution by beneficiaries has been taken to the gram panchayat level through common service centres of the State. Similar steps are being taken for receipt and disbursement of benefits through direct benefit transfer mode.
While collaboration with ILO for awareness generation on welfare programmes, registration of Odia migrant construction workers at destination states has improved, the State has taken up innovative schemes in convergence with other administrative departments.