Comparison of Construction Workers’ Welfare Fund Boards in Tamil Nadu and Kerala
Keywords:
Social security, Welfare Fund Boards, Labour department, Construction workersAbstract
Like Kerala, the state of Tamil Nadu also give priority in providing social security to unorganized workers through the development of Welfare Fund Boards based on occupational groups. For the benefit of workers in the construction sector, Kerala constituted the Welfare Fund Board in 1989 while in Tamil Nadu it was done in 1994. In this paper an attempt is made to compare the functioning of the Construction Workers Welfare Fund Boards of these two neighbouring states. The state of Kerala reconstituted the Board after the enactment of Central Act but Tamil Nadu has not made any attempt so far to include the provisions of the Central Act. In Tamil Nadu the age of entry to the Board is 15; while in Kerala it is the age of majority, i.e.18 years. Even though the percentage of cess is less, the system of collecting is very effective in Tamil Nadu as authority is given to the local body at the time of approving the plan and estimate. There is no monthly contribution from members of Tamil Nadu. In Kerala the collection is made by the labour department after completion of the work. Thus though the two Boards, Tamil Nadu Board and Kerala Board, were constituted for the same purpose, there is marked difference in their activities and performances.
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