Patna: The Bihar Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, operating under the Bihar government’s Department of Labor Resources, has achieved a record cess collection of Rs. 768.63 crore in the financial year 2024-25. This is the highest amount collected in a single financial year since the board’s formation in 2008. In comparison, the board had collected Rs. 694.80 crore in the financial year 2023-24. The increase in cess collection is attributed to regular monitoring by senior officials and efforts of regional officers.
The board was established under the “Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Service Conditions) Act, 1996” to provide social security benefits to construction workers in Bihar. It is responsible for worker registration, renewals, implementation of welfare schemes, and cess collection. Under Section 3 of the “Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Cess Act, 1996,” employers are required to pay a cess of 1 to 2 percent of the total construction cost within a specified period. Currently, the board collects 1 percent cess on all construction works in the state.
The funds collected through cess are used to run 16 different welfare schemes for construction workers. These include financial assistance for marriage and education, maternity and paternity benefits, a cycle purchase scheme, pension, death benefits, and financial aid for cremation. In the financial year 2024-25, Rs. 536.83 crore has been spent on these schemes, benefiting 1,00,546 registered construction workers across Bihar.
The welfare board continues to expand its efforts to ensure better social security coverage for construction workers. With the increasing cess collection and efficient implementation of welfare schemes, thousands of workers in Bihar are receiving financial assistance and essential benefits to improve their livelihoods.
