SRINAGAR: The Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) has failed to collect laks of rupees from the contractors who have completed the projects of the company.
The cess meant for the welfare of labourers is being collected under Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Cess Act 1996 (BOCWWCA) in J&K and it was enacted in Jammu and Kashmir in July 2007. “As per guidelines of BOCWWC Act, the contractors had to pay one percent labour cess. But violating the norms the ERA has not recovered it from the contractors who have completed the projects and surprisingly the company over the years has released payments for mega projects without collecting the said money,” sources revealed.
“The fact is that there are many contractors who have completed the mega projects of the agency and have not paid any cess,”one of the contractors wished anonymity told KNS.
Sources said that the non-adherence to the provisions of the Act had resulted in non recovery of Lakhs of rupees by the company since the enactment of the Act in 2007.
Strangely the management of agency has attributed the reasons for non-implementation of the provisions of Cess Act, to the lack of awareness. Pertinently, Cess is meant to provide labourers the safety, health and welfare measures and for other matters connected therewith.
However sources said that the cess which has been deducted from the contractors who carry out the public works of ERA and other agencies has not been utilized for the welfare of labours. “There is no confidence among contractors that the cess collected from them has been utilized for the welfare of labourers. On ground, there is no machinery or training centers to implement these so-called welfare schemes,” sources said and added that the collected cess was supposed to go to a welfare board, which will work out schemes such as health insurance, training, crèches for construction workers. But on ground it is not implemented by the authorities.
When contacted Chief Engineer ERA he said that he will look into the issue. “Sorry right now I am not able to share the details about the issue but yes I will collect the details over the issue then accordingly I will convey it to you,” CE told KNS over phone. (KNS)
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