NATIONAL COMMISSION ON LABOUR SUBMITS ITS REPORT;
GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT MAXIMUM RECOMMENDATIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,
SAYS PRIME MINSTER
The Prime Minister
Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has said that the Government would like
to implement maximum number of recommendations made by the Second
National Commission on Labour as quickly as possible. He was speaking
after receiving the Report from the Chairman of the Commission
Shri Ravindra Varma here today. Shri Vajpayee said, " Unfortunately
the general impression is that reforms mean overlooking workers’
interests which is not a fact. The government policy is to work
for workers’ welfare. But in the changed scenario it has become
necessary to study all aspects and then take suitable steps,"
the Prime Minister added. He complimented the Commission for making
recommendations for the unorganised sector which the Prime Minister
said is all the more important. Referring to the organised sector
the Prime Minister said that all social partners have to play
their role and expressed the hope that those who have dissented
would be satisfied with the government’s action on the Report.
Presenting the Report
Shri Ravindra Verma said that concerns of all social partners
were taken into consideration while reviewing the labour laws.
He said that the Commission among other things considered the
impact of globalisation on employment. Shri Verma said that international
competitiveness of the industry requires a new mind set. He said
that the Commission has presented a holistic picture of the organised
sector. Shri Varma said that the Commission has recommended setting
up of Workers’ Boards upto grassroots level for the unorganised
sector to ensure minimum wages, legal protection and social security
to the workers. He said that on the Impact of Globalisation the
Commission restricted itself to the areas of employment, skill
and training necessary for acquiring and retaining employability
and employment, healthy industrial relations and laws that can
promote harmonious industrial relations.
The recommendations
include reduction and rationalization of plethora of labour laws
and linking of elimination of child labour with education.
The Labour minister
Shri Sharad Yadav complimented the Commission on successfully
handling the ‘difficult and delicate ‘task’.
The Commission which
was set up on October 15, 1999 was asked to suggest rationalisation
of existing labour laws in the organised sector and take into
account opening up of the Indian economy, international competitiveness
and the needs and demands of the future labour markets. It was
also asked to suggest an umbrella legislation for welfare of workers
in the unogranised sector. The 10-member Commission had representation
of both the industry and the labour. One of the Members Shri C.K.
Saji Narayanan of Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh has dissented on several
provisions of the Report.
The Commission set
up six Study Groups to have an in depth and focussed study on
Review of Laws, Umbrella Legislation for Unorganised Sector Workers,
Globalisation and its Impact, Social Security, Women and Child
Labour and Skill Development, Training and Workers’ Education.
Among important recommendations of some of the Study Groups are
:
- Make employment the centre of all
policies in view of impact of globalisation on Indian economy.
- A Scheme of Unemployment Relief
be introduced at national level.
- Accelerate the rate of growth of
GDP, with particular emphasis on sectors likely to ensure the
spread of income to the low-income segments of the labour force.
- Pursue appropriate sectoral policies
in individual sectors which are particularly important for employment
generation.
- Labour laws be changed to make
them more positive for workers in the unorganised sector.
- Social Security be made a fundamental
right and a National Policy on Social Security should be formulated.
- Income and social security of women
workers should be enhanced and they should be given voice and
representation under the Trade Union Act.
- Setting up of Rs. 2000 crore fund
for care of children and enactment of Child Labour (Prevention
& Education) Act.
- The minimum wage should constitute
a basic rate of wage, cost of living allowance and cash value
of concessions.
