Page 15 - NIS English October 1-15
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Expanding social security cover, better wages,
free healthcare, medicines, increase and
providing safety at work are the focus of
the four Labour Codes
or the first time in the history of Independent helped ending the undue harassment from the
India, the present Government has initiated “Inspector Raj” ensuring better compliance in
Fmeasures to provide relief to 50 Crore the bargain.
workers from the maze of complex labour laws The scheme, for the first time, enabled
to provide them social security cover. portability through Universal Account Number
As part of the labour reform initiatives, the (UAN) for EPF subscribers from the organised
Government has decided to amalgamate sector. This has eased the access to Rs 27,000
several labour laws into four codes – on wages; Crore lying unclaimed with the Employees
industrial relations; social security and safety Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).
and healthy working conditions. To ensure social security for old-age workers
The aim is to provide workers in the country from the unorganised sector the government
a dignified life with social security benefits. The launched Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-
pitiable condition of the workers can be gauged Dhan Scheme under which workers would be
from the fact that there is no law protecting provided a monthly pension of Rs 3,000 after
the interests of workers in the unorganised reaching 60 years of age.
sector which comprise 93 per cent of the total Taking all these initiatives forward, the
workforce in the country. The organised sector Government is now amalgamating all labour
employs only 7 per cent of the workforce. laws into four Labour Codes. While one code will
The commitment of the present government deal with wages, others with the occupational
was underscored by Prime Minister Narendra safety and healthy working conditions. There
Modi on October 16, 2014, when, during the will be one code on social security and one
launch of the 'Shamev Jayate' Campaign, he on Industrial Relations. The Wage Code has
called them 'nation builders'. already been passed by Parliament. The other
The Government launched five big initiatives three codes have been approved by the Cabinet.
under the ‘Shramev Jayate’. Prominent among
them was the launch of ‘Shram Suvidha Portal’ FREEDOM FROM COMPLEXITIES OF LAWS
that aims at simplifying the compliance of 16 Several provisions of the labour law date
labour laws, including the filing of income tax back to the British Era. Even with the passage of
return through a single online form. A transparent time, there was no change in these laws making
labour inspection scheme for random selection them redundant. Instead of protecting interests
of units for inspection was another reform. It of labourers, they were rather creating hurdles.
New India Samachar 13
