Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (UP UPBOCW) marked International Labour Day with a special event held at its office premises Kisan Mandi Bhawan, Gomtinagar, Lucknow. The gathering witnessed enthusiastic participation from senior officials from UPBOCW and the Provident Fund department, along with key representatives from trade unions and civil society organizations. Notable attendees included Ramesh Singh (AICTU), Mr. Chandrashekhar (AITUC), Dinkar Kapur (UP Workers Front), Jaiprakash Tiwari (HMS), Yogesh Upadhyay (BMS), Avinash Pandey (HMS), and Pramod Patel (TUCC). From civil society and partner organizations, participants included Anukriti (Jan Sahas), Khalid Chaudhary (ActionAid), Balbir Singh Mann (Founder, Umeed Foundation), Shalakha (Eksaq), Amar Singh (Vigyan Foundation), Gayatri from AIM Trust and Dinesh Kumar from UNICEF, and several field-level workers also participated actively in the discussions and celebrations. The programme was convened by Shamim Akhtar, Deputy Labour Commissioner/Additional Secretary, UPBOCW.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. MK Shanmugam Sundaram, Principal Secretary, Labour Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, thanked all participants for their valuable suggestions and collaboration in advancing the cause of labour welfare. He reaffirmed UPBOCW’s commitment to inclusive welfare and highlighted the Board’s efforts to support workers congregating at labour addas through the establishment of Shramik Suvidha Kendras—envisioned as one-stop support centres offering access to schemes, entitlements, and grievance redressal. Videos and model designs of these proposed Kendras were showcased during the event. Dr. Sundaram also felicitated two UPBOCW labourers for their outstanding service on the occasion.
Trade union representatives appreciated the Board’s focus on the digitization of welfare schemes and stressed the need to bridge the digital access gap for workers to ensure inclusivity. They emphasized the importance of helping workers manage climate-related vulnerabilities, especially heat stress. Additionally, they recommended that the minimum wage be revised every five years as per government norms, and called for the strengthening of Panchayats to play an active role in the implementation of labour welfare schemes at the grassroots. They also highlighted the growing need to build a comprehensive social security net for gig and platform-based workers, particularly those registered on the e-Shram portal.
NGO delegates commended UPBOCW’s role as an umbrella organization for labour-related welfare and acknowledged efforts to integrate labour children into mainstream education through its flagship Atal Awasiya Vidyalayas for children of laborers. Dinesh Kumar from UNICEF appreciated the progress made by the state in reducing child labour through coordinated efforts.
Joining the celebration, the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, Ashwini Kumar called upon all sectors—government, civil society, and private organizations—to collaborate and strengthen the social security architecture for construction workers.
The event was graced by the presence of Neelesh Kumar Singh, Special Secretary, Labour Department; Girijapati Dwivedi, Joint Secretary, Labour Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh; Rakesh Dwivedi, Deputy Labour Commissioner, Lucknow; Sumit Singh, Assistant Labour Commissioner, Lucknow; Anupama Gautam, Deputy Secretary, UPBOCW; Amit Mishra, Deputy Labour Commissioner, UPBOCW; and Nicky Naincy, Deputy Secretary, UPBOCW.
