Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Welfare Board, Nardev Singh Kanwar, today presided over the 54th Board of Directors meeting of the Board. Several decisions aimed at strengthening welfare measures for construction workers across the state were taken during the meeting.
The Chairman said that an annual budget of Rs. 211.47 crore for the financial year 2025-26 was approved, with a significant allocation of Rs. 105 crore earmarked under various social welfare schemes for the well-being of registered beneficiaries. Stressing the importance of skill development and sustainable livelihoods, Sh. Kanwar added that the Board has approved five crore rupees for skill training programmes for registered beneficiaries and their dependents to enhance employability and create better job opportunities.
He further said that, to ensure greater awareness among workers, the Board has approved funding for Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) initiatives to effectively disseminate information about welfare schemes and entitlements. The Board also approved the shifting of its headquarters from the Old SDM Office to the under-construction building at the New Bus Stand in Hamirpur.
Additionally, the Board approved the engagement of 100 “Shramik Mitra” on an outsourced basis to strengthen outreach and facilitation services for workers. It was also decided to link all eligible beneficiaries of the Board with the HIMCARE health scheme to ensure access to quality healthcare services.
He further said that the Board has approved the integration of various pension schemes, including Old Age Pension, Widow Pension, Disability Pension and the Girl Childbirth Scheme, with ESOMSA for improved implementation and transparency. Nardev Singh Kanwar also stressed the need to expedite e-KYC, physical verification and the timely disposal of claims of registered workers.
Secretary-cum-CEO HPBOCWWB, Rajiv Kumar along with other official and non-official members of the Board were present at the meeting.