Unorganised Sector Bill to get more teeth
The Hindu

Move follows “criticism” by a section of people over the proposed legislation

The Government will give more “teeth” to the draft Unorganised Sector Social Security Bill, 2007 by including the recommendations of the reconvened Group of Ministers (GoM) following “criticism” and “agitated moves” by a section of the people over the proposed legislation approved by the Cabinet in May.

The announcement came on a day when the Centre of Indian Trade Unions decided to go on a nationwide strike against the proposed legislation on August 8.

Apprehensions

“Apprehensions were expressed that the Government may not be able to do much by just setting up boards — as proposed in the draft legislation cleared by the Cabinet — that would recommend welfare schemes for the workers in the unorganised sector from time to time,” Minister of State for Labour and Employment (Independent charge) Oscar Fernandes told reporters here on Monday.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had reconvened the GoM, headed by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, to review the draft of the proposed Bill after the Left had expressed unhappiness over its provisions.

The GoM had held one meeting and the second is scheduled for later this week.

While Mr. Fernandes said efforts would be made to introduce the new draft bill in the coming session of Parliament, it would depend on how soon the GoM submitted its recommendations.

Likely provisions

The provisions likely to be introduced in the fresh draft bill would include insurance in case of death, disability benefits, pension and even health insurance.

These would be implemented immediately while the schemes recommended by the Boards from time to time, would be implemented subsequently, Mr. Fernandes said.

“We are also in discussion with the National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector and the benefits would be extended to all sections of unorganised workers including agricultural, construction, domestic workers, rickshaw-pullers and self-employed people,” he said.

The Minister said the Government was working on a scheme to give a social security number to all those in the unorganised sector so that they could avail of the benefits even if they shifted from one form of labour to another.

Fund assurance

Assuring that the Centre would provide the required monetary support, Mr. Fernandes said the Government had provided employment under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan that was also a form of social security.