HP Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board has spent funds meant to utilise for the welfare of the construction workers on its administrative expenditure.
Information, obtained through an RTI by Dev Ashish Bhattacharya, revealed that in the last 5 years Board has collected Rs. 197.88 Crores were and surprisingly Rs. 255.96 lacs were spent on its administrative expenditure and Rs. 333.87 lacs were spent on the welfare schemes of the labourers. However, whooping Rs. 92 Crore were remaining unutilized.
Interestingly in the year 2009-10 and 2010-11, no money was spent on any welfare schemes of the poor construction workers.
Bhattacharya, who has unearthed many scams in Himachal, said that RTI information has revealed a different face of the board and clearly depicts the indifferent attitude of the people sitting in power towards the poor construction workers. He said that the cess was supposed to be used for the welfare, security and safety of the construction workers, but the information provided by the department is narrating a different story.
Bhattacharya added that he’ll soon write to the Chief Minister and will demand a high powered administrative and vigilance inquiry in it.
HP Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board was established to patronize the welfare of the construction workers, who work on the Govt. or Govt. Undertaking projects and private projects whose cost is more than 10 lacs.
Cess is collected by the Board via 12 different Labour Officers of the state and the so collected money is supposed to be utilised for the welfare of the construction workers as per the provisions of the Building & Other Construction Workers (RE & CS) Act, 1996 and Cess Act, 1996.
