KOCHI: The welfare pension and other benefits for building construction workers have been pending for 16 months, affecting around 3.8 lakh workers. Payments due from April 2024, including pensions and other benefits, remain unpaid, with a total arrears of Rs 1,152 crore. Of this, pension arrears alone amount to Rs 992 crore, while other benefits total Rs 160 crore. Each worker is entitled to a monthly pension of Rs 1,600.

The government had assured in September 2024 that the arrears would be cleared within six months, but the promise has not been fulfilled. The Building and other construction workers welfare board, which operates through its own funds, mainly relies on workers’ contributions and building cess collections for its revenue.

Cess collections

The government had argued that a

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