(a) whether the Government have taken any decision to issue Identity Cards to the labourers engaged in construction work in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to make it mandatory for the employers of construction workers?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR (SHRI ASHOK PRADHAN)
(a), (b) & (c) The Government of India has enacted the Building and Other Construction Workers (RECS) Act, 1996. As per the Act, each State Government shall constitute a Building and Other Construction Workers` Welfare Board. The Board shall give to each beneficiary registered with the Board an Identity Card with his/her photo mentioning details of work being done by the Card holder.
In Kerala about 9.70 lakh construction workers have been registered as on 31.01.2002 by the State Building & Other Construction Workers` Welfare Board. The Government is persuading other State Governments for early adoption of the Act.
The registration by the construction workers with the State Welfare Boards is voluntary and the benefits of the Act would be available to the workers who have registered themselves with the Boards.