Workshop Through Hybrid Mode on Effect of Covid-19 Pandemic on Construction Workers on 30 th July 2021 @ IGFP Office, Bhubaneswar

 Discussion on Pandemic Effect on Construction Workers from Odisha Perspective: Concept Note 

Proposal

This Discussion is proposed to be held when the second phase of the COVID-19 pandemic has ebbed and the onset of its third phase is mired with uncertainty. In India it has adversely affected almost all sectors and along with it the workers employed in terms of both employment and earnings. Its repercussion on migrant labour as the most disadvantaged constituency has been more visible. With new and more destructive mutations of the virus emerging, the bitter truth is that the problem is not going to vanish soon. So it will be prudent to take stock of the lessons learnt by way of assessing the magnitude of the problem, steps to counter it, their success and failure and how to prepare ourselves for the forthcoming onslaught. This is the objective of the discussion keeping ourselves confined to workers engaged in construction sector in India, which has second largest workforce next only to agriculture, with special reference to Odisha. 

Arrangement

It will be a half a day programme to be held in the forenoon of 30^th July, 2021. It will be organized by IGFP in its Committee room at Bhubaneswar with some panelists to be physically present and others joining virtually. Domain experts from India and abroad, political and administrative functionaries, industry representatives and trade unions, to be decided by IGFP, will become panelists and participants will join virtually, for which provision for webcasting will be made.

Lay Out

It is proposed to focus on following areas:

1. Overall scenario and problem areas – Mr Panchan Kanungo Former FM Odisha & Chairman IGFP Advisory Board in the Chair & Curtain Raiser by Dr Ashok Sahu Former SG NHRC & EA to MOL ( IGFP Advisory Board Member )
2. Steps taken by Central/State Governments including State Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board- Experience Sharing from Odisha, Bihar & Kerala- Through Respective States for which Invitation sent

3. International experience- Prof Karl Heinz Noetel Senior Advisor DGUV, Germany & President ISSA Construction
4. Industry perspective –  Dr K N Sen VP L & T
5. Labour issues especially those relating migrant construction workers- Dr RC Khuntia & From BMS/ CITU
6. Management of the Disaster – Dr Malay Pradhan

Prepared by Dr Ashok Sahu with Support of IGFP

17^th July 2021

Workshop Through Hybrid Mode on Effect of Covid-19 Pandemic on Construction Workers on 30^th July 2021 @ IGFP Office, Bhubaneswar

Takeaways / Press Note

1. Promoting and protecting the rights of unorganized sector workers, which include a large number of building and other constructions workers are important.
2. In this connection introduction of one-nation-one-ration card scheme is highly relevant. We have to watch its progress.
3. There is likelihood of Covid-19 in various mutations to remain. Since budgetary provision for construction workers is not constrained because of cess funding, workers should continue to get benefits.
4. Maintenance of hygiene for building and other construction workers and continuation of vaccination are very important. A rating system can be used for achieving Vision Zero by following 7 Golden Rules.
5. Loss of jobs during the pandemic is a real problem. Urgent action needs to be taken for creation of employment opportunities, providing social security, preventing children from being pushed into labour, reducing inequality, improving standard of living etc.
6. Providing health and social security benefits should be made a fundamental right. ILO Core Conventions should be ratified. Covid-19 should be declared as an occupational disease so that associated benefits would flow to workers.
7. Providing subsidized meals, accommodation, death benefits, updation of data relating to migrant workers are highlights of successful Kerala Model which can be adopted elsewhere.
8. Apart from physical comfort, mental health of construction workers should be taken care of.
9. More flexibility is required in providing death-related benefits by ESIC. Submission of death caused by Covid-19 certificate should not be insisted.
10. Working environment for construction workers in terms of cleanliness, ventilation, humidity, provision of potable drinking water etc., should be improved.
11. The scope for work from home for construction workers needs to be further explored by making suitable field visits.
12. Unskilled and multi-skilling of construction workers, especially of women, are important.
13. Joint Secretary (Labour Welfare), Ministry of Labour & Employment, needs to hold a meeting with all Chairmen of State Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Boards, on important issues mention in the takeaways, a especially on registration of workers and portability of benefits.
14. Odisha Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board should hold a joint meeting in coordination with Mr. Amar Satapathy, MLA, Odisha in the first week August 2021 to discuss all issues relevant for building and other construction workers of Odisha.
15. IGFP will coordinate meeting to be held under the chairmanship of Mr. Panchanan Kanungo with R.D., ESIC, Odisha and R.P.F.C., Odisha. Both of them will prepare a base paper which will be discussed, finalized and submitted to Government of India.

Complied by

IGFP, Bhubaneswar

https://youtu.be/fpZlF4jT0GY

Presentation by Mr. B.K Sahu IFGP

Presentation by Prof. Karl-Heinz Noetel, BG BAU, Germany

Presentation by Dr. Ashok Sahu, Member, Advisory Board, Indo German Focal Point

Presentation by Dr. M K Pradhan General Manager (F&B)

Presentation by Mr. Partha Sarathi Panda, RD ESIC, Odisha

Presentation by Krishna Nirmalya Sen

Workshop Through Hybrid Mode on Effect of Covid-19 Pandemic on Construction Workers Held on 30.07.2021 at Bhubaneswar

Minutes

The list panelists who attended the Workshop is annexed.

In his introductory address Mr. B.K.Sahu welcomed Mr. Panchanan Kanungo, Chairman as well as panelists and participants to the Workshop. He mentioned that Covid-19 pandemic has affected various sectors and their workmen, building and construction sector being one of them. Different dimensions of the problem will be deliberated by eminent panelists and at the end we will be able to delineate important takeaways having substantial bearing on policy intervention. The performance of State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Boards will be watched. He made a presentation on the performance of Indo German Focal Point (IGFP) in the recent past. 

In his Chairman’s speech, Mr. Panchanan Kanungo stated that promoting and protecting the rights of unorganized workers, which include a large number of building and other construction workers, are important. In this connection introduction of One-Nation-One-Ration-Card (ONORC) scheme is highly relevant. It has been introduced in Odisha from today and we will have to watch its progress. There is a likelihood of Covid-19 in various mutations to remain for a long time for which we should be prepared. Since budgetary provisions for building and construction workers is not a constraint because of cess funding, workers should continue to get benefits.

The Chairman released a flexi on ‘Securing Safety, Social Security & Skill Development Starts with Self – 7S’.

Prof. K.H. Noetel spoke on Vision Zero tools developed by ISSA. By way of international experience, he stated that crane accidents, accidents due to slip, trip and fall etc. do occur. Especially 20% of fatal injuries are due to fall. He made a pictorial power point presentation. About 50% of Germany’s population has been vaccinated. Maintenance of hygiene for building and other construction workers and continuation of vaccination are very important. A rating system can be used for achieving Vision Zero by following 7 Golden Rules.

Dr. Ashok Sahu in his presentation on Curtain Raiser stated that building and other construction workers constitute a large segment of distress migrants. They work in inhospitable environment in unhygienic conditions and are prone to various diseases including Covid-19. Since continuous employment is key to their survival, they need job protection, regular wage payment, availability of employment opportunities to reverse migrants, portability of social security benefits, preparation of data base, proactive steps by State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Boards, implementation of ONORC scheme and resolving the problem under distress management mode.

Dr. R.C.Khuntia appreciated the work of IGFP during the pandemic. By quoting Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) figures he stated that there is serious job loss during the pandemic. Urgent action needs to be taken for creation of employment opportunities, providing social security, preventing children from being pushed into labour as feared by ILO and UNICEF, reducing inequality, improving standard of living etc. Providing health and social security benefits should be made a fundamental right. ILO Core Conventions should be ratified. Covid-19 should be declared as an occupational disease so that associated benefits would flow to workers. Workers’ present benefits should not get reduced when the new Code is operationalized.

Mr. D. Lal Additional Secretary Govt of Kerala stated that the Kerala State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board has been functioning since 1990 and rendering yeomen service like providing subsidized meals, accommodation, death benefits and trying to update data relating to migrant workers, which are highlights of successful Kerala model which can be adopted elsewhere.

Mr. Arvind Kumar JLC Department of Labour Bihar, mentioned that about 15 to 16 schemes are being operated for the benefit of labour in the State of Bihar. Golden Cards are being issued under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. National data base for migrant labour is being prepared and ONORC scheme will be operationalized soon.

Dr. K.N.Sen made a detail power point presentation on the effect of Covid-19 on construction sector. Inter alia, he stated that apart from physical comfort, mental health of construction workers should be taken care of. In his organization reverse migration during Covid-19 had been minimal as the requirements of migrant labour were met to the best extent possible.

Mr. Partha Sarathi Panda, RD ESIC, Odisha, pointed out that more flexibility is required in providing death related benefits by ESIC. Submission of death caused by Covid-19 certificate should not be insisted upon.

Dr. M.K.Pradhan stated that working environment for construction workers in terms of cleanliness, ventilation, provision of drinking water etc. should be improved. Fatalities due to fall are very high. Though cess collection for building and other construction workers is about Rs.29,000 crore, not even 10% is being spent.

Mr. Ashok Kumar Panda, Additional Secretary with Odisha Construction Board stated about welfare schemes of Govt of Odisha in General terms.

Mr. Amar Satapathy stated that how the State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Boards are going to implement the directives of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India needs to be watched. Besides, benefits should accrue to the unorganized sector workers which is not happening now. The scope for work from home for construction workers needs to be further explored by making suitable field visits.

Mr. M.P.Samy pointed out that upskilling and reskilling of construction workers, especially of women, are important.

Dr. R.K.Elangovan, Mr. P.Bharati and Mr. A.K.Panda also participated in the Workshop. 

Following three decisions were taken

1. Joint Secretary (Labour Welfare), Ministry of Labour& Employment, needs to hold a meeting with all Chairpersons of State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Boards on important issues mentioned in the takeaways, especially on registration of workers and portability of benefits.
2. Odisha State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board should hold a meeting in coordination with Mr. Amar Satapathy, MLA, Odisha in the first forthnight of August, 2021 to discuss all important issues relevant for building and other construction workers of Odisha.
3. IGFP will coordinate a meeting to be held under the Chairmanship of Mr. Panchanan Kanungo, former Finance Minister, Odisha with Regional Director, ESIC, Odisha and Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, Odisha. Both of them will prepare a base paper which will be discussed, finalized and submitted to Government of India.

The Workshop ended with a vote of thanks by IGFP.

Annexure –List of Panelists with Chief Guest with Program

Sl No	Name & designation	Topic to be Covered
01	Mr. B. K. Sahu Director IGFP	Introduction of Chair & Panelists with Objective of the Workshop
02	Mr. Panchanan Kanungo Former Odisha Finance Minister Odisha & Noted Economist	Chairman Address & Release of Flexi @ IGFP Board Room
03	Prof. Karl Heinz  NoetelSenior Advisor DGUV & President ISSA Section	International Experiences on Construction Workers-Challenges & Solutions
04	Dr R K ElangovanDG  FASLI	OSH in Construction Sector
05	Dr. Ashok Sahu Former SG NHRC & EA to MOL ( IGFP Advisory Board Member )	Curtain Raiser
06	Mr. Amar Satapathy, MLA, Odisha	An Overview on Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Construction Sector
07	Dr. Ramesh Chandra Chayu PattnaikChairman, Odisha Building & Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board	Steps taken by State Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board- Experience Sharing from Odisha
08	Smt. Mini Antony I.A.S Principal Secretary, Kerala / State Representative	Steps taken by State Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board Experience Sharing from Kerala
09	Smt. Vandana Kini, IAS Additional Chief Secretary Bihar / State  Representative	Steps taken by State Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board Experience Sharing from Bihar
10	Dr.  R C KhuntiaNational Vice President INTUC	Labour Issues relating to construction workers- INTUC Perspective
11	Mr. Gokulananda Jena her Representative	Labour Issues relating to construction workers-BMS Perspective
12	Mr. Bishunu Charan Mohanty, CITU	Labour Issues relating to construction workers-CITU Perspective
13	Dr. K N SenL&T	Industries Perspective
14	RD ESIC, Odisha	Social Security Measures ESIC
15	Dr. Malay Kumar Pradhan	Disaster Management During Pandemic
16	Q&A  Session	Chairman & Panelist
17	Summing up	Chairman