New Delhi/ Patna: Bihar’s Labour Resources Minister, Santosh Kumar Singh, has urged the central government to introduce a nationwide labour card to ensure social security for migrant workers across India. Speaking at a two-day workshop organised by the Ministry of Labour and Employment in New Delhi, Singh emphasised that such a policy would be particularly beneficial for workers from Bihar, who often migrate to other states for employment.
The workshop, attended by labour ministers and secretaries from various states and union territories, focused on labour reforms, employment generation, construction worker welfare, and improvements in Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) hospitals. Singh, who was present alongside Bihar’s Labour Secretary, Deepak Anand, outlined the challenges faced by migrant workers and shared details of Bihar’s existing welfare schemes.
He highlighted that Bihar runs 16 different social security schemes for workers, covering them from birth to death. However, migrant workers often lose access to these benefits when they relocate. “A worker from Bihar contributes to the economic development of another state through labour cess, yet they are denied their rights,” Singh said. “Without a One Nation, One Labour Card, they miss out on crucial welfare benefits available in their home state.”
The proposal received backing from several other state labour ministers, with Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya assuring that the central government would consider the request. If implemented, Singh said, workers from Bihar would be able to access social security benefits in any state, mirroring the support they receive at home.
Singh also highlighted the significant role played by Bihari workers in states such as Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, particularly in construction projects. He noted that these workers often remain unregistered with local welfare boards and lack social security coverage despite their contributions to state economies.
As a solution, he proposed the creation of a PAN-India portal to maintain a centralised database of registered construction workers across the country. This would enable states to verify beneficiaries and facilitate the portability of welfare schemes. Singh called for uniform eligibility criteria and grant amounts across states to ensure seamless access to benefits.
He further suggested that the Ministry of Labour and Employment formulate and standardise schemes under the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Service Conditions) Act, 1996, to guarantee equal benefits, including accident grants, pensions, housing loans, insurance, education support, and maternity assistance for construction workers nationwide.
