Filing of CLRA Half Yearly Return has been made mandatory under the BOCW Act. As per the legislation, the contractor is required to file the CLRA half yearly return with the respective authority within 30 days from the close of the half-year. Form XXIV is used for the purpose of filing the half-yearly return. It also serves as a declaration that provides a multitude of information like how many workers are active on the site, what types of amenities have been provided to the labourers, wages paid by the contractor, and so forth. By mandating the filing of CLRA half yearly returns, the authority reinforces transparency in the contractor business.
What does the term half yearly imply?
The term Half year under the Act implies a period of six months starting from 1st Jan and 1st July of every year. A contractor needs to keep this duration in mind for return filing purposes. Any negligence in the context can lead to delayed filing, which will be subjected to monetary penalties as mentioned under the Act.
Benefits of filling out CLRA half yearly return on time
Following are the benefits of filing CLRA Half Yearly Return on time:
Improve the credibility of the contractor over time
Although return filing is tedious and mandatory, it helps contractors earn some much-needed credibility to sustain in the business. After all, tax-abiding firms have a better chance to thrive in their domain.
Ensure access to tax exemption and government schemes
Contractor firms that never miss out on return filing gradually become eligible for tax exemption and government schemes that stimulate their growth many folds.
Access to loans becomes easier
Most new contractor firms have trouble securing credit from banks to amplify their growth. Being consistent on return filing strengthens creditworthiness over time, which is vital to secure much-needed financial bolsters from mainstream banks.
Key Details to be Filled by Contractors in Form XXIV
Following are some key details required by Contractors in Form XXIV:
- Contractor’s name and address
- Contract’s duration
- Active days of working served by the contractor’s establishment during the Half-year
- The maximum number of labourers employed on any specific day during the half-year. This detail should be provided gender-wise.
- Working days served by the employed labourers
- Wages paid to the labourers (gender-wise)
- Wage deduction by the contractor, if any
- Declaration whether the amenities like Creches, Canteen, First-aid, and Drinking water provided have been provided by the contractor or not.
Online procedure for filing CLRA half yearly returns
Following is the online procedure for filing CLRA Half Yearly Returns:
- Visit the “Sharamsuvida”[1] portal and complete the login formalities
- From the dashboard on the left, tap on the “CLC Annual Return”
- A list of the establishment(s) shall be prompted on your screen
- Select your establishment and year of filing
- Select the applicable Act(s) from these: The Contract Labour Act, The Minimum Wages Act, The Payment of Wages Act, 1956, the BOCW Act, etc
- Select whether you want to fetch data from previous returns or fill in new information
- Click Save to open the new window comprising e-form
- Fill out the general info about the establishment and the owner, such as LIN, name, and address
- Scroll down to fill in the mandatory information as shown below:
- Number of working days during the year
- Number of men-days during the year
- Daily work hour
- Days of weekly holiday
- Number of shifts
10. Once done, click on the “save draft” button.
11. On the next window, add the wage rate and Number of contract workers (gender and age-wise).
12. Next, add the mode of payment provided to the workers.
13. Enter the number of workers who were accorded leave with wages during the year
14. Proceed to the next part to provide details of various welfare amenities accorded under the statutory schemes
15. Add the maximum number of persons employed on any day during the year (gender and age-wise)
16. Hover over the table to select the applicable Act. Once done, add the registration number corresponding to the chosen Act.
17. Add the bonus details provided to the workers (if any)
18. Click Save Draft to proceed further.
19. The portal will ask you to authenticate the e-form via digital signature. To do so, download and run an application called “Microsoft Smart Card Provider”.
20. Once the application prompts on your screen, enter your valid DSC pin/passcode.
21. Click the OK tab to file the CLRA half yearly return
Conclusion
Late or non-filing of the CLRA half yearly returns can result in severe monetary penalties, as mentioned under governing legislation. So, it would be wise to file a return before the deadline arrives. The timely filing would add to the creditworthiness of the contractor. Although return filing is tedious and mandatory, it helps contractors earn some much-needed credibility to sustain in the business.
Read Our Article:Key Highlights of the CLRA Act
