Central government bodies are encouraging states to digitize services related to employment and social security for construction workers and other types of workers (BOCW). During a two-day national conference that began in Mumbai on Friday, nine states and union territories are launching Digital Labour Chowks.
The conference, which is attended by state labor ministers, senior officials, and representatives of BOCW welfare boards, reviews the implementation of measures announced at a similar national conference last year.
Launch of Initiatives in States
During the conference on September 11-12, Maharashtra, Telangana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha will present their respective Digital Labour Centre initiatives. The Ministry stated in its release that these platforms are designed to improve access for construction workers to employment-related services.
Furthermore, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal will launch online portals for collecting and monitoring BOCW fees at this conference. This measure aims to transition fee-related processes into digital systems and enhance control over their collection. BOCW fees are collected from construction activities to fund social security measures for construction workers.
Physical and Digital Access Points
The conference will also feature the inauguration of 'Labour Chowk-cum-Facilitation Centres' in Bihar and West Bengal. Unlike the Digital Labour Centre initiatives, these centers are physical access points intended to assist construction workers in obtaining employment and social security services.
The three mentioned initiatives—the State Digital Labour Centre for BOCW, Labour Chowk-cum-Facilitation Centres, and the Online Portal for BOCW Fee Collection—were among the measures launched at the National Labour Conference in New Delhi in November 2025. The Mumbai conference reviews the progress made by the states and union territories in promoting these initiatives.
Conference Objectives
The two-day conference, hosted by the Ministry of Labour in Mumbai on September 11-12, is chaired by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mansukh Mandaviya. It involves labor ministers and officials from the states and union territories, as well as representatives of BOCW welfare boards. The Ministry reported that the conference will focus on identifying gaps in implementation and determining priority actions for providing social protection, welfare, and employment opportunities for construction workers. It is also planned that the states will be able to share their experience in implementing the three initiatives and determine approaches that can be adopted in other regions.