Trade unions, led by CITU East Godavari chapter, on Saturday urged the State government to withdraw the abeyance order on the utilisation of welfare fund of the AP Building and Other Construction Workers’ Board (APBOCWW).
At a round-table conference attended by the representatives of the trade unions -- AITUC, AICCTU, INTUC -- here on Saturday, a resolution was passed to intensify the protest against the abeyance order and the GO. No. 17 that directs the APBOCWW to transfer ₹450 crore to the State government.
CITU East Godavari district general secretary Ch. Raj Kumar said that such curbs on the utilisation of the funds available with the APBOCWW would deprive the facility of claiming the benefits entitled to the registered workers. This move by the State government was violation of the existing welfare laws. The benefits include financial aid for medical treatment, wedding, risk coverage in the event of accident, natural death and disability.
“The APBOCWW generates the fund by collecting workers’ cess from the builders and fee paid for registration. The fund should not be transferred to the State government as it is meant for the welfare of the registered workers,” pointed out Mr. Raj Kumar.
The trade union leaders alleged that claims made by the eligible workers under various schemes of the APBOCWW to the tune of ₹5 crore were not settled even after over 18 months. INTUC district president T. Raju, AICCTU district president P.N. Rarasa Raju, CITU district president M. Veera Lakshmi and other trade union leaders were present.
District-level meet
A district-level conference will be held at NGO Home on October 20 in Kakinada, according to the leaders.
In East Godavari district, some two lakh building and other construction workers have registered themselves with the APBOCWW which came into force in 2009.