Registration to be mandatory for units with over 500 workers

PANAJI

The State government will amend the Goa Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Condition of Service) Rules, 2008 (GBOCW Rules) to make it compulsory for establishments with more than 500 workers to register.   

It has assured the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) that the changes will be made in line with the Central BOCW Rules, 1998, and that a registration fee will be introduced for such establishments. This assurance came after the CAG pointed out that not a single establishment employing over 500 workers was registered with the Department of Labour and Employment.   

The Central BOCW Rules, 1998, have a fee structure for establishments with more than 500 workers. However, the GBOCW Rules, 2008, had no such provision. The CAG noted that only one establishment, with exactly 500 workers, was registered in March 2020.   

At present, the department charges a Rs 500 fee for establishments with up to 50 workers, Rs 1,000 for 51-100 workers, Rs 2,000 for 101-200 workers, and Rs 3,000 for 201-300 workers. Establishments with 301-400 workers pay Rs 4,000, while those with up to 500 workers pay Rs 5,000. There is no fee for units with more than 500 workers.   

“The audit is of the view that there should be provision for registration fee for establishments of more than 500 employees in line with central BOCW rules as well as keeping in view the future requirements,” the CAG said in its recent report tabled in the House.   

“The Government acknowledged the audit observation and assured that necessary amendments to the rule will be carried out to incorporate fee structure for registration of establishments employing more than 500 workers,” the report stated.