New Delhi: On paper, the welfare framework for Delhi’s construction workers promises them wide-ranging support in almost all spheres of life: from maternity care, pension, housing, healthcare, education and even free daily commute on govt buses.However, many of the intended beneficiaries had a blank look when TOI asked them about the schemes. Bitto, a marble and tile worker from Mangolpuri, didn’t know his children are eligible for education assistance. Preeti, a construction worker and mother of two who received a subsistence allowance during the recent GRAP-enforced restrictions, asked, “Yeh kya hota hai?”
For many of them, being aware of the eligibility conditions come later; the first barrier is knowing that the schemes exist.The capital has about 2.6 lakh registered construction workers, more than half of them women. Around 80% are between 31 and 50 years of age — a period when maternity care, schooling costs, healthcare and housing support matter the most. However, these benefits reach only a single-digit percentage of these workers. In this financial year so far, 818 have availed themselves of maternity benefits — highest in years. Education assistance has reached only 198 beneficiaries, 156 have received marriage aid, and death or funeral assistance have reached only 30 families. Pension data tells a similar story. Though the work-ers are eligible for it when they turn 60, records show only 61 pension payments have been made this financial year. There is no clear public data on disability pensions, making it difficult to assess the reach of this support meant for workers permanently rendered unfit by accidents or illness, despite this category being vulnerable.Year-wise data shows that overall beneficiary numbers peaked at 17,748 in 2022-23, driven largely by a one-time clearance of over 14,000 pending school education claims. Disbursements fell by more than 90% to 1,416 in 2023-24 and slightly rose to 1,723 in 2024-25. Several schemes, including medical assistance and free DTC bus passes, have virtually vanished from recent payout records.For the workers, the problem is not just access, but time. Liyakat Khan, now 65, said he spent years making rounds of government offices after applying for pension. Aamir, who applied for benefits after his child’s birth, is still waiting. The child is already five years old.“The first problem is awareness,” says Thaneshwar Dayal Adigaur, convenor of Nirman Mazdoor Adhikar Abhiyan. “Workers should be informed about the schemes the moment they register. When 2.6 lakh workers are enrolled, but only 1% to 10% receive benefits, something is fundamentally wrong. Education aid needs a long time to be disbursed, pension claims are frequently rejected and even cases that are approved are stuck in a cycle of repeated resubmissions. The process needs clear timelines, and workers should receive SMS updates on their claims. If the system functioned on time, beneficiaries would easily run into the thousands.” A Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board official said, “Education assistance for around 10,000 beneficiaries for the 2024-25 academic session is now under consideration. SOPs are in place, and discrepancies need to be fixed. Pension delays are linked to discrepancies in registration records and conflicting rules, while education assistance is subject to conditions, such as mandatory requirement of 50% attendance.“We are also working on health insurance coverage,” the official said. “Schools are now being directly conveyed about education schemes. Dedicated teams were deployed last year to improve coordination. We set up camps, too.”Regarding free travel benefits for the construction workers on buses, the official said the scheme has been affected by changes in some rules. “Applications were received earlier, but a new code has since come into effect.”
