To enhance the efficiency and outreach of the Himachal Pradesh Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (HPBOCWWB), 150 posts of Shramik Mitra (Motivators) will be created and filled on an outsourced basis, announced Chairman Nardev Singh Kanwar during the 51st Board of Directors meeting held today.
During the meeting, Kanwar directed officials to identify suitable land for establishing the BOCW State Headquarters in Hamirpur. Additionally, approval was granted to open a new Sub-office at Bhoranj in Hamirpur district to improve administrative access.
As part of the Model Welfare Scheme, the Board also decided to set up Labour Chowks in Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, and Solan. These will serve as designated spaces for workers, aiming to improve coordination, safety, and welfare.
In a push for skill development, the Board resolved to provide training programs for registered workers and their dependents to enhance their employment opportunities.
The Chairman emphasized the need to speed up the eKYC process and instructed officials to engage a suitable agency for the task. He also directed the integration of Board workers’ data with the e-Shram portal and digitization of claims data to ensure smoother access to welfare schemes.
To raise awareness about the Board’s welfare programs, it was decided to install hoardings at fair price shops in Hamirpur on a pilot basis.
In a relief move for disaster-affected workers, the Board decided to provide financial assistance in line with government guidelines, including a 10% enhanced margin under co-terminus schemes. Further, the timeline for claim submissions will be extended from the current six months to one year.
The Board also approved a salary hike for its outsourced staff, recognizing their contributions to the functioning of the welfare programs.
The meeting was attended by non-official Board members Ravinder Singh Ravi, Bhupender Singh, J.C. Chauhan, Pradeep Kumar, along with Special Secretary (Finance) Vijay Wardhan, Secretary-cum-CEO Rajiv Kumar, and Additional Secretary (Law) R.S. Tomar.
