CAG pointed out that the Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board in Gujarat had a 78% vacancy on 18 regular posts — that are to be filled up on deputation from the state government — and a 38% vacancy on 40 temporary posts which were to be filled through outsourcing.

Applicants who described their professions as “tailor, driver, farmer, maid, computer operator, shopkeeper, fruit-seller, vegetable seller and security guard” were found registered as building and construction workers on Gujarat government’s e-Nirman portal — a digital platform created for registration of unorganised workers in the state.

“Out of 1,08,829 workers registered on e-Nirman portal as of March 2023, 116 applicants having e-Nirman card with worker-type mentioned such as tailor, driver, farmer, maid, computer operator, shopkeeper, fruit-seller, vegetable seller, security guard, name of applicant itself etc. were registered as construction workers,” the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) pointed out in a report tabled in the Gujarat Assembly on Wednesday.

The report on “Welfare of Building and Other Construction Workers” states “the control mechanism for registration of workers was found deficient as applicants engaged in professions other than building and construction work were found registered.” 

“To restrict the registration of ineligible persons as BOC workers, the Board may strengthen the procedure for verification of applications and prescribe timeline for processing the applications by the district level offices of the Board,” CAG recommended. With regard to the 119 ineligible applicants in possession of e-nirman cards, the member secretary of Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board said that the process of cancellation of these registrations has been initiated.

The Additional Chief Secretary Labour, Skill Development and Employment Department stated that district level offices of the Board did not have regular staff and all the Nirikshaks were in charge, which made it difficult to verify each and every application.  

CAG pointed out that the Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board in Gujarat had a 78 per cent vacancy on 18 regular posts — that are to be filled up on deputation from the state government — and a 38 per cent vacancy on 40 temporary posts which were to be filled through outsourcing.

The country’s top auditing agency also pointed out that between November 2017 and March 2021, the Board had functioned with just the Principal Secretary Labour, Skill Development and Employment Department as the chairman. “Reasons for non-constitution of the full-fledged Board were called for (December 2022). However, the replies furnished (June 2024) by the Additional Chief Secretary, LSD&ED were silent about the reasons for non-constitution of the full-fledged Board since November 2017,” CAG observed.

The CAG report also pointed out the Board has no financial autonomy. “The audit observed that the Board had not constituted the Welfare Fund. In absence of the Welfare Fund, cess collected by the Cess Collectors in the State is deposited in the Government Account. Every year the State Government provides funds to the Board in the form of grant. Thus, the Board has no financial autonomy for administration and management of cess and depends on the State Government grants for discharging the functions conferred on the Board under the BOCW Act, 1996,” the report added.

Published on September 10, 2025