Migrant workers enrolment in TN govt's social welfare schemes not up to mark

CHENNAI: A majority of the inter-state migrants are becoming the victims of cracks in the system of registration in Tamil Nadu as the workers are denied social security.

Being one of the popular states among migrant labourers from northern and northeastern states, Tamil Nadu has been attracting several thousands of labourers every day. A majority of them turn into a workforce for the construction industry. However, they neither stand a chance to benefit under the welfare schemes of the Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board (TNCWWB) nor are covered under the social security scheme.

Labour activists and builders note that migrant workers account for not less than 90% of the total workforce in the construction sector. However, only 10% of them have registered with the welfare board despite the TN government having launched an exclusive web portal http://labour.tin.gov.in/ism for the registration of migrant workers.

The web portal was launched following the High Court’s direction in August 2020 to undertake an extensive survey to identify, register and enlist all unorganised workers to ensure their welfare. Sources in the labour department said that over 1.5 lakh construction workers from other states have enrolled in the web portal. But it is minimal, given the number of migrant labourers in the construction sector.

Citing the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act 1979, a source in the department said, “Though there are specific acts that mandate the employers and contractors to register or obtain licences for employing migrant workers, they are not following it.”

Only 28 registration certificates and 21 licences were issued under the Act in 2023-2024 to the principal employers and contractors respectively. “Only 10 in 100 migrant workers are enrolled in the welfare board. The contractors are not showing any interest in enrolling their workers, while the officials are also not checking this,” said activist TK Elumalai.

A joint field verification of 21 construction sites by the CAG Audit team along with officers of the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) and Assistant Commissioner of Labour (SSS) revealed that 398 out of the 501 workers were inter-state migrant workers and none of them were registered with TNCWWB, according to the recent CAG report.

It further stated that “TNCWWB has not made efforts to identify and register all eligible workers”. However, senior officials maintained that they have been making efforts to enrol and blamed the workers for shifting workplaces frequently.