Skip to main content

Step 1: Getting the labour card | ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕ ಕಾರ್ಡ್ ಪಡೆಯುವುದು

Screenshot (135).png

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 ((Form V(A)/V(B)/V(C)/V(D)))- proof of having engaged in building and other construction (B&OC) work for a minimum of 90 days in the previous year. 

Click here to download the 90-day work certificate template

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 (Self-Attested)
    2. Bank passbook copy
    3. Ration card (non-mandatory)

    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 bookpassbook 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

    Exclusion owing to policy design
    • Gardeners, parking area employees etc. roles not considered construction work (CW).

    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.

    Trades such as mason, plumber, electrician are considered part of CW.

    • Petty labourers don’t get the seal/ sign of contractors as they are often involved in irregular work at different worksites under different contractors.
    • Physical verification of hands to figure out if the person is working with sand and cement. 
    • Aadhar-mobile link mandatory, but workers change their mobile numbers frequently requiring repeated linking.

    At the time of verification, worker may switch to another worksite hence not available on previous construction site where he applied from.

    Exclusion owing to lack of awareness
    Exclusion owing to lack of supporting documentation
    • 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 either do not have an account and/ or Aadhar card or the account is not linked with their Aadhar.
    • Names, age and address don’t match in different documents

    Petty laborers often face challenges in obtaining the seal or signature of contractors for work certificates since they work irregularly at various sites.

    Exclusion owing to technology or other process related reasons
    • 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 issues such as maximum document size for uploading (250KB) and space also pose an important challenges while uploading docs.
    • Workers don’t remember the login details which remain with CSOs, so trust building takes time.
    • Lack of access to smart phones and in many cases a single phone number used by multiple members of the household. With a single phone number, if both father and son are laborers, only one gets the benefit albeit both have phone linked Aadhaar cards.
    • In certain instances, workers' essential documents are kept in 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.
    • Some CSOs take money from applicants to apply for cards/ schemes.

    Cyber centers often bribe officers to get work done.

    Workers often change their phone numbers frequently, and their Aadhar numbers may not be linked to their current phone numbers.

    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.

    Exclusion owing to behavioural 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.

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

    Once the application gets rejected there is no refund. So, workers are apprehensive of wasting money and go via agencies.

    Annual Renewal

    • Muster roll or pay slip is required for renewal. It is not possible to obtain for muster roll for ‘gig’ workers within this occupation.

    As per the recent experience of some partners, the labour department has stopped accepting renewals without muster roll because, according to them, many non-construction workers have enrolled. Awaiting new format of muster rolls from the department. Workers with big builders do not face this problem.

    • 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.

    Back to top