The Uttar Pradesh Labour Department is conducting special camps across Noida to register construction workers under the Uttar Pradesh Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Act. These efforts aim to support workers impacted by the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) restrictions and ensure they receive welfare benefits.
Currently, 15,102 workers in Noida are registered with the department, and they receive a weekly subsistence allowance of Rs 1,000 per week through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. This initiative is part of the government’s response to mitigate the impact of construction activity bans during GRAP Stage 4 restrictions, which were enforced in November and lifted in December. According to Subhash Chandra Yadav, Assistant Labour Commissioner (ALC) in Noida, registration camps began on December 5 and will continue for a week. These camps are being held not only at Jan Seva Kendras but also at construction sites across the district, making the registration process more accessible for workers. The camps aim to increase the number of registered workers, as only those registered before November 18 are eligible for subsistence payments under the GRAP. The department estimates that the total number of construction workers in Noida ranges between 2.75 lakh and 3 lakh, but only 15,102 workers have Aadhaar-linked registrations. A significant portion of the workforce comprises migrant workers, who often leave the city for extended periods, contributing to the low registration rates. The department hopes that holding camps directly at construction sites will overcome this barrier and encourage more workers to register. Industry leaders are urging closer collaboration between the Labour Department and real estate developers to streamline the registration process. Gaurav Gupta, Secretary of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI), NCR, highlighted the importance of integrating developers into the registration initiative. By doing so, workers employed at construction sites can be registered promptly, ensuring they continue to receive allowances during construction bans. This collaboration will benefit both workers and the real estate sector, helping to prevent worker migration during such periods. The registration camps are being held at various locations across Noida and Greater Noida, including Stellar Site Sector-01, Eldeco Sector-150, Sector-72, and the Yamuna Authority Area in Jewar, among others.
