The Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (HPBOCW) Nardev Singh Kanwar presided over the 47th Board of Directors (BOD) meeting today. During the meeting various issues and matters concerning workers registered under the Board were deliberated upon. The BOD welcomed the State Cabinet’s decision to shift the HPBOCW office from Shimla to Hamirpur, emphasizing that this move would bring administrative operations closer to the stakeholders.
The Chairman further assured that necessary steps would be taken to resolved 50 percent of the pending scholarship, medical and other cases concerning beneficiaries, including widows registered with the Board, by 31 March, 2025. Kanwar said that the HPBOCW remains steadfast in its mission to uplift the lives of workers and ensure their holistic welfare through timely and effective interventions. While reiterating the dedication of the Board to its beneficiaries, he said that a dedicated helpline would soon be set up to address the concerns and issues of registered workers.
The BOD also approved the opening of a new sub-office at Balichowki in District Mandi to cater to the rising number of registrations and benefit claims, especially from remote and hard-to-reach areas. This decision aims to reduce the burden on existing facilities and make services more accessible. Additionally, administrative approvals and expenditure sanctions were granted for purchasing office articles for Dharampur and other sub-offices of the Board. To generate additional revenue, the BOD recommended an increase in the cess on constructions of multinational companies (MNCs), hotels, malls and petrol pumps, which will directly benefit the Board and workers registered under the Board.
The BOD also reviewed the implementation of decisions made during the 46th BOD meeting held on 10 October, 2024. To ensure better coordination and performance, it was decided to convene a meeting with the LOWs and LOs in HP Secretariat. Before the meeting, the Board met with the CITU trade union to discuss workers’ concerns. Union was assured that the present state government was dedicated to addressing these issues and making all possible efforts for the welfare of union workers. Non-official members of the HPBOCW BOD Jagdish Chander Bhardwaj, Bhupender Singh, Hema Tanwar, Pradeep Kumar and Ravinder Singh Ravi and senior officials from various departments were present in the meeting.
HPBOCW Strengthens Outreach with New Facilities and Approvals
