Patna: A two-day workshop on health and safety for construction workers was held in Patna on 3 and 4 September. The event was organised jointly by the International Labour Organization (ILO)-Japan Multilateral Project and the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC). Representatives of labour groups, industries and construction-related agencies took part in the discussions at the Maurya Hotel.
Speaking at the closing session, Deepak Anand, secretary of the Labour Resources Department, said the Bihar government is fully committed to the welfare of construction workers. He explained that 34 lakh workers are currently registered with the Bihar Building and Other Construction Welfare Board. These workers receive benefits under 16 different schemes, including marriage assistance, maternity and paternity benefits, financial help for education, pensions, house repair grants, medical support and even death compensation. In the past year alone, more than one lakh workers received Rs 560 crore directly into their bank accounts under these schemes. The government also collected Rs 760 crore through labour cess to fund these initiatives, which officials described as a record.
Anand added that the department is working to improve safety at construction sites across the state. Officials are carrying out regular inspections, enforcing safety rules and taking legal action wherever needed. Awareness campaigns are also being run through street plays, wall writings and training programmes. These efforts aim to ensure that both workers and employers understand the importance of safety and follow proper standards.
The secretary also highlighted new innovations such as the “Shramik Samvad” programme, which has been active for the past year. Under this scheme, labour officials visit large workplaces with over 1,000 workers to directly talk to employees. They listen to their concerns and then ask management to take steps to resolve the issues. According to Anand, this helps the government understand the real challenges faced by workers and provide quicker solutions.
In his closing remarks, Anand urged all participants of the workshop to spread the lessons they had learned to as many workers and employers as possible. He said the goal was not just to create safer workplaces, but also to make sure every worker knows about the welfare schemes available to them and can benefit from them.
