Punjab revises construction workers’ pension scheme, increasing eligibility to 10 years in Chandigarh, reducing benefits for shorter memberships
Punjab BOCW Board Revises Pension Structure for Construction Workers
The Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare (BOCW) Board has updated the monthly old-age pension and family pension for registered construction workers.
| Membership Duration | Monthly Pension | Family Pension |
|---|---|---|
| More than 10 years | ₹3,000 | ₹1,500 |
| 7 to 10 years | ₹2,000 | ₹1,000 |
| 3 years | ₹1,000 | ₹500 |
According to the new order issued on January 8, the eligibility duration for a pension of ₹3,000 and a family pension of ₹1,500 has increased from three years to ten years. The monthly pension and family pension for members registered for three years have been reduced to ₹1,000 and ₹500, respectively.
This revised pension structure will take effect from December 1, 2025, after approval from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who is the ex-officio chairman of the board.
Under the new rules, only workers with more than ten years of membership will qualify for the ₹3,000 monthly pension and ₹1,500 family pension. Those with seven to ten years of membership will receive ₹2,000 as pension and ₹1,000 as family pension.
Construction workers with three years of membership will now receive a monthly pension of ₹1,000 and a family pension of ₹500. Manvesh Singh Sidhu, principal secretary of the labour department, stated that the board previously provided a pension of ₹3,000 to workers who completed three years of continuous membership by age 60.
“If a construction worker remains enrolled with the Punjab BOCW Board for three years until he turns 60, he will now get ₹1,000,” Sidhu said.
Department officials noted that the decision aimed to reduce the financial burden on the welfare board. An anonymous official mentioned, “The financial burden has been increasing; therefore, we decided to change the criteria.”
The revised structure has faced criticism from labour activists. They argue that the reduction in pension, amid rising living costs, will negatively impact elderly construction workers. Sardara Singh, president of the Dr Ambedkar Workers Union, Punjab, called the move a violation of Article 14 (Right to Equality) of the Constitution.
“This will create pension disparity among workers. Earlier pensioners will continue to get ₹3,000 while new pensioners, with the same registration period, will be getting ₹1,000,” he said. Singh added that with the implementation of the four labour codes scheduled for April 1, 2026, there was no need to change the pension structure at this time, as it would undergo further adjustments once the new labour laws come into effect.
