Chapter V BUILDING AND OTHER CONSTRUCTION WORKERS’ WELFARE BOARDS

(1) Every State Government shall, with effect from such date as it may, by notification, appoint, constitute a Board to be known as the …… (name of the State) Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board to exercise the powers conferred on, and perform the functions assigned to, it under this Act. (2) The Board shall be a body corporate by the name aforesaid, having perpetual succession and a common seal and shall by the said name sue and be sued. (3) The Board shall consist of a chairperson, a person to be nominated by the Central Government and such number of other members, not exceeding fifteen, as may be appointed to it by the State Government: Provided that the Board shall include an equal number of members representing the State Government, the employers and the building workers and that at least one member of the Board shall be a woman. (4) The terms and conditions of appointment and the salaries and other allowances payable to the chairperson and the other members of the Board, and the manner of filling of casual vacancies of the members of the Board, shall be such as may be prescribed. (2) A penalty under sub-section (1) may be imposed— (a) by the Director-General where the contravention or failure relates to a matter to which the appropriate Government is the Central Government; and (b) by the Chief Inspector where the contravention or failure relates to a matter to which the appropriate Government is the State Government. (3) No penalty shall be imposed unless the person concerned is given a notice in writing— (a) informing him of the grounds on which it is proposed to impose a penalty; and (b) giving him a reasonable opportunity of making a representation in writing within such reasonable time as may be specified in the notice against the imposition of penalty mentioned therein, and, if he so desires, of being heard in the matter. (4) Without prejudice to any other provision contained in this Act, the Director-General and the Chief Inspector shall have all the powers of a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), while exercising any powers under this section, in respect of the following matters, namely:— (a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of witnesses; (b) requiring the discovery and production of any document; (c) requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office; (d) receiving evidence on affidavits; and (e) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents. (5) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prevent the person concerned from being prosecuted under any other provision of this Act or any other law for any offence made punishable by this Act or by that other law, as the case may be, or for being liable under this Act or any such law to any other or higher penalty or punishment than is provided for such offence by this section: Provided that no person shall be punished twice for the same offence.

(1) The Board shall appoint a Secretary and such other officers and employees as it considers necessary for the efficient discharge of its functions under this Act. (2) The secretary of the Board shall be its chief executive officer. (3) The terms and conditions of appointment and the salary and allowances payable to the Secretary and the other officers and employees of the Board shall be such as may be prescribed.

(1) The Board shall meet at such time and place and observe such rules of procedure in regard to the transaction of business at its meetings (including the quorum at such meetings) as may be prescribed. (2) The chairperson or, if for any reason he is unable to attend a meeting of the Board, any member nominated by the chairperson in this behalf and in the absence of such nomination, any other member elected by the members present from amongst themselves at the meeting, shall preside at the meeting. (3) All questions which come up before any meeting of the Board shall be decided by a majority of votes of the members present and voting, and in the event of equality of votes, the chairperson, or in his absence, the person presiding, shall have a second or a casting vote.

No act or proceedings of a Board shall be invalid merely by reason of— (a) any vacancy in, or any defect in the constitution of, the Board; or (b) any defect in the appointment of a person acting as a member of the Board; or (c) any irregularity in the procedure of the Board not affecting the merits of the case.

(1) The Board may— (a) provide immediate assistance to a beneficiary in case of accident; (b) make payment of pension to the beneficiaries who have completed the age of sixty years; (c) sanction loans and advances to a beneficiary for construction of a house not exceeding such amount and on such terms and conditions as may be prescribed; (d) pay such amount in connection with premia for Group Insurance Scheme of the beneficiaries as it may deem fit; (e) give such financial assistance for the education of children of the beneficiaries as may be prescribed; (f) meet such medical expenses for treatment of major ailments of a beneficiary or, such dependant, as may be prescribed; (g) make payment of maternity benefit to the female beneficiaries; and (h) make provision and improvement of such other welfare measures and facilities as may be prescribed. (2) The Board may grant loan or subsidy to a local authority or an employer in aid of any scheme approved by the State Government for the purpose connected with the welfare of building workers in any establishment. (3) The Board may pay annually grants-in-aid to a local authority or to an employer who provides to the satisfaction of the Board welfare measures and facilities of the standard specified by the Board for the benefit of the building workers and the members of' their family, so, however, that the amount payable as grants-in-aid to any local authority or employer shall not exceed— (a) the amount spent in providing welfare measures and facilities as determined by the State Government or any person specified by it in this behalf, or (b) such amount as may be prescribed, whichever is less: Provided that no grant-in-aid shall be payable in respect of any such welfare measures and facilities where the amount spent thereon determined as aforesaid is less than the amount prescribed in this behalf.

The Central Government may, after due appropriation made by Parliament by law in this behalf, make to a Board grants and loans of such sums of money as the Government may consider necessary.

(1) There shall be constituted by a Board a fund to be called the Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Fund and there shall be credited thereto— (a) any grants and loans made to the Board by the Central Government under section 23; (b) all contributions made by the beneficiaries; (c) all sums received by the Board from such other sources as may be decided by the Central Government. (2) The Fund shall be applied for meeting— (a) expenses of the Board in the discharge of its functions under section 22; and (b) salaries, allowances and other remuneration of the members, officers and other employees of the Board; (c) expenses on objects and for purposes authorised by this Act. (3) No Board shall, in any financial year, incur expenses towards salaries, allowances and other remuneration to its members, officers and other employees and for meeting the other administrative expenses exceeding five per cent. of its total expenses during that financial year.

The Board shall prepare, in such form and at such time each financial year as may be prescribed, its annual report, giving a full account of its activities during the previous financial year, and submit a copy thereof to the State Government and the Central Government.

(1) The Board shall maintain proper accounts and other relevant records and prepare an annual statement of accounts in such form as may be prescribed in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India. (2) The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India or any other person appointed by him in connection with the auditing of the accounts of the Board under this Act shall have the same rights and privileges and the authority in connection with such audit as the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India has in connection with the auditing of the Government accounts and, in particular shall have the right to demand the production of books, accounts, connected vouchers and other documents and papers and to inspect any of the offices of the Board under this Act. (3) The accounts of the Board shall be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India annually and any expenditure incurred in connection with such audit shall be payable by the Board to the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India. (4) The Board shall furnish to the State Government before such date as may be prescribed its audited copy of accounts together with the auditor's report. (5) The State Government shall cause the annual report and auditor's report to be laid, as soon as may be after they are received, before the State Legislature.