Why in news
- The Delhi Welfare Board announced a comprehensive healthcare scheme providing cashless treatment up to Rs 2 lakh annually for registered construction workers.
What is the BOCW Framework?
- Enacted under the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996, the law provides for safety, health, and welfare measures for unorganised construction labor.
- State Welfare Boards collect a statutory 1% cess on construction projects to build welfare funds for worker benefits.
Key features of the new coverage
- Provides cashless medical treatment up to Rs 2 lakh annually for around 2.7 lakh registered construction workers.
- Deploys mobile medical vans directly to construction sites to offer on-site 24x7 medical assistance and annual health check-ups.
- Establishes centralized digital health records for seamless tracking of worker medical histories across construction sites.
Why it matters
- Unorganised construction workers face high occupational hazards, physical injury risks, and lack structured employer-provided health insurance.
- Ensures active utilization of accumulated BOCW welfare funds, addressing long-standing criticism regarding unspent labor cess balances.
Key terms
BOCW Welfare Cess
A statutory levy collected from builders under the BOCW Welfare Cess Act, 1996 to fund social security schemes for construction workers.
Prelims facts
- BOCW Act, 1996 mandates state-level Welfare Boards to administer collected labor cess for social security.
Mains discussion
- Role of dedicated welfare funds in expanding occupational safety and social security nets for unorganised workers.
Source: Economic Times India
Same topic · past papers
UPSC has asked this before
These previous-year questions sit on the same topic. Open one to practise the earlier ask.
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2015 · Q18 · General Studies · 2 marks
With reference to 'fly ash' produced by the power plants using coal as fuel, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Fly ash can be used in the production of bricks for building construction. 2. Fly ash can be used as a replacement for some of the Portland cement contents of concrete. 3. Fly ash is made up of silicon dioxide and calcium oxide only, and does not contain any toxic elements. Select the correct answer using the codes given below -
2024 · Q17 · GS II · 15 marks
In a crucial domain like the public healthcare system, the Indian State should play a vital role to contain the adverse impact of marketization of the system. Suggest some measures through which the State can enhance the reach of public healthcare at the grassroots level. -
2023 · Q5 · GS III · 10 marks
Introduce the concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI). How does AI help clinical diagnosis? Do you perceive any threat to privacy of the individual in the use of AI in the healthcare? -
2018 · Q7 · GS II · 10 marks
Appropriate local community level healthcare intervention is a prerequisite to achieve 'Health for All' in India. Explain. -
2025 · Q70 · General Studies · 2 marks
Consider the following statements about 'PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana' : I. It targets installation of one crore solar rooftop panels in the residential sector. II. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy aims to impart training on installation, operation, maintenance and repairs of solar rooftop systems at grassroot levels. III. It aims to create more than three lakhs skilled manpower through fresh skilling, and up-skilling, under scheme component of capacity building. Which of the statements given above are correct?