SHRC directs Finance Secretary to clear welfare pension arrears of construction workers
The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has ordered the Finance Secretary to clear 16 months of pension arrears for construction workers. The Commission ruled that withholding these payments violates the constitutional right to live with dignity.
Why it matters
It underscores the legal obligation of the state to provide social security to vulnerable workers and the role of human rights bodies in enforcing these protections.
The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) to take all possible steps to clear the pending pension arrears of members of the Kerala Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Fund Board, who have contributed to the fund for several years.
The Commission instructed the Finance Secretary to coordinate with the departments concerned to expedite the release of arrears. The Commission observed that denying eligible workers their pension in time amounted to violation of their constitutional right to live with dignity.
The order stated that prolonged delay in pension payment pushes elderly beneficiaries into financial hardship and mental distress. It emphasised that welfare pension was not merely a financial benefit but an essential social security measure supporting the beneficiaries’ livelihood, medical expenses, and day-to-day living.
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