The Maharashtra government has decided to make registration of construction workers involved in its projects mandatory.

The construction workers welfare board has a corpus fund of Rs 1,000 crore but due to shortage of beneficiaries the money is lying unutilised.

“So far, only Rs six lakh have been spent. Hence, we have decided to make registration of the workers in projects undertaken by government agencies like MMRDA, BMC mandatory,” Labour Minister Hassan Mushriff said.

He said contractors should inform the board about the labourers hired by them.

Workers in the housing construction sector do not register with the board. There are around five lakh workers in this sector in the Mumbai —Thane belt. Till September 1, 2012 only 72,218 labourers have registered.

Mushriff said his department will undertake a drive to propagate Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY) which covers death and disability insurance for the benefit of rural landless farmers.

The drive to register beneficiaries will be taken up from January 26 to February 10. Last year, 15 lakh beneficiaries were registered under the scheme and 7,000 people got benefit of death claims.