Unified labour code for building workers sought

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, DEC. 10. The Indian Buildings Congress has called for a unified labour code for construction workers. A resolution to this effect was adopted at the two-day seminar - Built Environment-Laws Rules and Regulations - jointly organised by the Indian Buildings Congress and the PWD, Pondicherry.

The meeting, attended by more than 140 delegates, pointed out that there were far too many laws relating to construction workers. Different implementing agencies take different views, creating confusion, it said.

Although the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services) Act 1996 has been enacted, it has become just another law. As it has been implemented only in two States, there is a need to have a uniform labour code for construction sector, the seminar felt.

The Workmen Compensation Act has brought improvement in certain respects, but the expectaton generated by the Act had not been fully realised. It is necessary that a liberal view is taken in its implementation and benefit of doubt in cases of death be given to employee. Necessary directions in this regard need to be issued by all Government's construction agencies in their departments.

Another resolution said though there was an urgent need to have a system of licensing and registration of engineers under a Professional Engineers Act, the Centre should take immediate action to have such an Act in position and made operative.

The existing service tax regime on consulting engineers and architects is not only cumbersome but full of discrepancies and is more a tax on the profession than the service. This system should be withdrawn immediately, the seminar felt.

Pay hike

The Cooperation Minister, Mr. Theni C. Jayakumar, said the employees working in the Government Employees Cooperative Credit Societies in Pondicherry would be paid wages retrosepctively from May this year on par with the pattern available for their counterparts in Tamil Nadu.

With this, the workers' long-stnading demand for pay parity with the prevailing wage structure in Tamil Nadu has been conceded, he said.

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Section  : Southern States
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