CAG finds 6% registration rate among 27 Rajasthan construction sites

It assessed the registration of workers, collection of cess, safety compliance, and the utilization of funds for welfare schemes.

Who it concerns: Government of Rajasthan, specifically the Labour Department and the Rajasthan Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board (RBOCW Board).

What the auditor found

• Only 6% of employed workers at 27 verified establishments were actually registered, despite 30.10 lakh workers being registered in the state.
• Delays of 3 to 22 months in transferring ₹1,789 crore of collected cess to the welfare fund.
• Expenditure on welfare schemes ranged only from 21.16% to 51.06% of available funds; only ₹1,659.22 crore was expended out of ₹1,788.99 crore received as cess.
• 30% of welfare scheme applications (7.79 lakh) remained pending, with 1.86 lakh pending for more than two years.
• 89% of establishments issued compliance notices for safety violations did not furnish compliance.
• RBOCW Board failed to submit audited annual accounts for 2018-19 to 2021-22 to the State Government.
• Recommendations include filling vacant posts, improving cess collection methodology, and strengthening document verification for benefits.

Also in the document

• CAG found that the Labour Department did not obtain lists of civil works from executing departments, leading to incomplete coverage of establishments required to register.
• CAG noted that none of the liable establishments submitted a written statement of health and safety policy to the Chief Inspector.
• CAG identified inadequate document verification in specific schemes (Prasuti Sahayata Yojana and Assistance to Silicosis affected workers), indicating a lack of due diligence.