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Step 1: Getting the labour card

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What is a BoCW labour card?

A BoCW labor card is an official identification card issued to construction workers who are eligible under the BoCW Act. This is the first basic document required to avail entitlements under the BoCW Act.

The card requires renewal: annually or once in 3 years. 

What are the requirements to get a labour card?
  • Employment certificate- proof of having engaged in building and other construction (B&OC) work for a minimum of 90 days in the previous year. 

The employment certificate is validated by a labor inspector and employer/ registered labor union/ gram panchayat.

  • Age- between 18 and 55 years
  • Age proof- Voter ID or Aadhaar card
    1. Aadhaar card- linked to a mobile number
    2. Bank passbook copy
    3. Ration card

    With a recent change in guidelines ration card is not mandatory now; till 6 months back this was a required document for labour card renewal.

    • Nominee's bank pass book copy
    • Nominee and children's correct name and age details

    If nominee and children's details are not provided at this time or are incorrect, it will lead to difficulty in availing benefits under various schemes. 

    Common reasons why construction workers fail to receive the benefits under BoCW schemes

    Lack of awareness and trust among workers
    • Once application gets rejected there is no refund. So, workers are apprehensive of wasting money and go via agencies.

    Applicants, especially recent migrants, are hesitant to disclose all documents and information to CSOs (Civil Society Organizations).

    • Many times workers leave their necessary documents at native place when they come for work, especially migrants from UP & Bihar
    • Having a bank account with an Aadhar-linked mobile phone is a prerequisite, and many workers do not meet this requirement
    • Names, age and address don’t match in different docs
    • Petty laborers often face challenges in obtaining the seal or signature of contractors for work certificates since they work irregularly at various sites
    • When coming for work, particularly migrants from UP and Bihar, individuals often leave their documents at their native places.

    Lack of resources-

    • In certain instances, workers' essential documents are kept at their hometowns, and their families there do not possess smartphones to send images of necessary documents, such as Aadhar cards, ration cards, PAN cards, and bank passbooks

    Lack of cooperation

    • Applicants are reluctant to share all docs/ information with CSOs. This is especially true for recent migrants.
    • Once application gets rejected there is no refund. So, workers are apprehensive of wasting money and go via agencies.
    • Some CSOs charge applicants fees for assisting in the application process for cards or schemes.

    Policy design issues- 

    • Migrants often require a local address to benefit from various schemes, but they are reluctant to change their address due to concerns about missing out on opportunities in their home states or to preserve important documents and proofs.

    On-ground implementation issues-

    • Petty labourers don’t get the seal/ sign of contractors as they work irregularly at different site
    • Physical verification of hands to figure out person is working with sand and cement
    • At the time of verification, worker may switch to another worksite hence not available on previous construction site when he applies
    • Another example: a person drives a vehicle supplying water on construction sites. When the labour inspector calls for verification, he says I am a driver. So, the application gets rejected.
    • Once application gets rejected there is no refund. So, workers are apprehensive of wasting money and go via agencies. rephrase

    Tech related

    • BOCW website doesn’t stay up for more than 10 minutes at a stretch- it frequently takes them 5 hours to fill one application form
    • Technical glitches like photo size and space also pose an important challenges while uploading docs
    • For all Aadhaar linkage work, OTP comes to the applicant’s phone but they refuse to cooperate because they are at work or don’t see phones for a long time. So this application process needs to be repeated multiple times as OTP has time-bound validity.
    • Workers don’t remember the login details which remain with CSOs, so trust building takes time.

    Documents-

    Aadhar seeding-

    Registration process-

    • Some CSOs take money from applicants to apply for cards/ schemes

    Annual Renewal-

    Examples of CSOs going the extra mile to get work done

    • Certain CSOs enroll construction workers into unions, and these unions assume the comprehensive responsibility for addressing labor card issues, including renewal, corrections, and updates, such as  Sampark and Grakoos.
    • Mitr Sanketa takes an additional step by liaising with government departments to personally collect the paperwork required for laborers' card applications and access to various schemes.
    • CFAR have set up a CSC (customer service centre) so can apply for schemes etc directly.

    Annexure:

    90-day work certificate template page 

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