New Delhi: Delhi govt is planning a major overhaul of worker welfare services by introducing chip-enabled smart cards for registered construction workers, setting up labor chowks across districts and rolling out an integrated cess management portal to streamline services and plug leakages in welfare delivery.The initiative aims to develop a unified system for registration, benefit delivery and monitoring of welfare schemes for construction workers. It is expected to cover nearly 30 lakh beneficiaries, including a large number of migrant and unorganized workers. Delhi has around 13 lakh registered construction workers.Govt will introduce encrypted smart cards, which will store verified worker data and enable seamless access to benefits. The cards will be linked to Aadhaar-based biometric authentication to eliminate duplication and fraud. Govt transfers funds directly into the bank accounts of the registered construction workers whenever benefits are announced, such as during construction halts imposed during peak pollution periods.An official said that to improve last-mile access, the government planned to establish 13 Karmika Seva Kendras (KSKs) across districts, supported by 13 mobile units that will travel to construction sites and underserved areas. It will also set up 39 labor chowks — three in each of the 13 districts — as organized spaces where workers can access employment opportunities, register for welfare schemes and avail basic services.“The idea is to bring services closer to workers and reduce their dependence on middlemen. With labor chowks, workers will have a structured platform for both employment and welfare access,” said the official.Another key component is the integration of a cess management portal with existing systems of Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board. The portal will handle registration, payments, verification and monitoring through a single digital platform, ensuring real-time tracking of funds collected as construction cess and their utilization.“Tender for this has been floated. Govt also plans to deploy self-service kiosks at KSKs and labor chowks, along with a mobile application that will allow workers to access services such as registration, renewal, appointment booking and status tracking remotely,” said the official. Multilingual interfaces and assisted services will be provided to ensure inclusivity.The project will be rolled out in phases, beginning with infrastructure setup and pilot operations, followed by full-scale deployment, he added. Staff will be recruited and trained by the implementing agency, with a focus on customer service and digital operations.“The move is likely to reduce processing time, improve transparency, enhance service delivery and ensure that benefits reach those who need them most,” said the official.
