THE FOCUS IS ON GEARING UP TO THESE
CHALLENGES OF 21ST CENTURY OF GLOBAL COMPETITION IN
EVERY ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY –
DR. SAHIB SINGH
Union Labour Minister
Dr. Sahib Singh said that the focus is on gearing up to these
challenges of 21st century of global competition in
every economic and industrial activity. In this integrated and
globalised world economy, quality, productivity, customer related
issues, health and environmental issues have come in the forefront
and have become the focus of attention the world over. Indeed,
these very issues being inextricably and inseparably linked to
the workplace have emerged as the parameters of global competitiveness.
Dr. Sahib Singh was speaking after giving away the awards for
Vishwakarm Rashtriya Puraskar (VRP) and National Safety Awards
(NSA) for the years 2001-02. He further said while our planned
and sustainable efforts for the last 56 years of independence
make us feel reasonably proud of our distinctive achievements
in the fields of science, technology and industrial development,
we are yet to go a long way in achieving self sufficiency in the
manufacturing sector. It appears to me that in spite of having
huge reservoir of talented Human Resource in our country, we have
not been able to harness this precious resource to its optimum
potential. He hoped that these awards will unleash the untapped
and latent potential of our workplace. He also informed that keeping
this in view we have enhanced number of awards for VRP and NSA
from the year 2003. 18 awards for VRP has been enhanced to 28
whereas 76 awards for NSA has been enhanced to 102. He said that
institution of these awards will go a long way in enhancing the
productivity and also saving the foreign currency. In this connection,
he also emphasised the need for skill development fund under the
auspices of ILO.
The Union Labour
Minister also impressed upon the dignitaries, distinguished guests
and the invitees that the movement of labour force should go hand
in hand with the movement of goods. He said it will also help
in production of products at a lower cost and will benefit the
consumers all over the world. He, however, regretted that some
vested interests are blocking this new process.
Instituted in
1965, the Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskars are awarded by the Government
of India, Ministry of Labour to the workers working in factories
registered under the Factories Act, in port sector as well as
in construction sites in recognition of their outstanding suggestions
leading to increased productivity, quality, safety and improvement
in overall efficiency of the industrial undertakings. And the
National Safety Awards are given for excellent performance in
maintenance of safe and healthy working conditions by industrial
undertakings, ports etc.
There are 3 classes
of prizes under Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar – Class ‘A’, Class
‘B’ and Class ‘C’. The winners under these classes are awarded
the cash prizes of Rs. 50,000 for Class A, Rs. 25,000 for Class
B and Rs. 10,000 for Class C followed by commendation certificate.
36 awardees (18 each from 2001-02) were given away prizes today.
The 18 awards for each year comprise of 3 awards for Class A,
5 awards for Class B and 10 awards for Class C categories. In
all 96 distinguished workers received the VRP awards today for
both the years (38 for 2001 and 58 for 2002).
A total number
of 147 awards for both the years (73 awards for the year 2001
and 74 awards for 2002) were distributed today to companies for
their excellent performance in safety. A large number of senior
executives from different regions of the country representing
diversed fields of industrial activity, ports and dock etc. were
present during this award distribution function. During this function
Secretary Labour, Dr. P.D Shenoy, DG FASLI Shri S.K Saxena, Joint
Secretary in the Ministry of Labour Shri K. Chandramouli and Labour
Ministers from States of Jharkhand, Manipur and Goa were also
present.
