The Ministry of Labour and Employment in a statement said that 1.75 crore transactions were done directly into the bank accounts of the workers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Apart from cash benefits ranging from one thousand to six thousand rupees per worker during the lockdown, some of the States have also provided food and ration to their workers.
The building and other construction workers are the most vulnerable segment of the unorganized sector workers in the country.
A large chunk of them are migrant labourers working in different states far away from their native places.
During the challenging times of COVID-19 lockdown, Ministry of Labour and Employment, which is the Nodal Central Ministry to coordinate with all the State Governments and State Welfare Boards in the matter of welfare of the construction workers, has left no stone unturned in ensuring timely cash transfers to them, when they needed it the most.
The Building and Other Construction Workers Act, 1996 was enacted to regulate the employment and conditions of service of these workers and to provide for their safety, health and welfare measures.
The Act along-with the Cess Act has played a significant role in coming to the rescue of construction workers by providing them subsistence during the tough times of pandemic.
A timely advisory was sent to all the Chief Ministers in March by the Union Minister of Labour and Employment, advising the States to frame a scheme for transfer of adequate funds in the bank accounts of construction workers through DBT mode.