Achievements and
initiatives of the Ministry Of Labour & Employment
The Government of India is following the approach of ‘Reform to
Transform’ through far-reaching structural reforms. Employment Generation is
the first priority for the Government. After going through a decade of jobless
growth, the Centre is working on a comprehensive strategy to bring employment
to the core of development strategy, promoting industrial activity through Make
in India, enhancing employability through Skill India and encouraging
innovation and entrepreneurship through Start up India.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment is committed towards job
security, wage security and social security for each and every worker. Along
with bringing transparency and accountability in enforcement of Labour Laws,the
Ministry has taken important initiatives to realize and establish the dignity of
every worker through provision of social security, enhancing the avenues and
quality of employment.
A.
Legislative Reforms:
1.
The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill,
2015 passed by the Parliament in the Winter Session has been published
in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary on 1st January, 2016 as Act
No. 6 of 2016 to come into force on the 1st day of April, 2014.
The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Act, 2015 envisages enhancement
of eligibility limit under section 2(13) from Rs.10,000/- per month to
Rs.21,000/- per month and Calculation Ceiling under section 12 from Rs. 3500 to
Rs.7000 or the minimum wage for the scheduled employment, as fixed by the
appropriate Government, whichever is higher. The Payment of Bonus
(Amendment) Act, 2015 also mandates previous publication of draft subordinate
legislations, framed under the enabling provisions under the said Act, in
the Official Gazette for inviting objections and suggestions before their final
notification.
2.
The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill,
2016 passed by Rajya Sabha on 11th August,2016 which inter-alia
include increasing maternity benefit to woman covered under the Maternity
Benefit Act, 1961 from 12 weeks to 26 weeks up to two surviving children allowing
the mother to take care of the child during his/her most formative stage,
providing maternity benefit of 12 weeks to Commissioning mother (in case of
surrogate child) and Adopting mother (in case of adoption), facilitate
“work from home” to a mother with mutual consent of the employee and the
employer, making mandatory in respect of establishment having fifty or more
employees , to have the facility of crèche either individually or as a
shared common facility within such distance as may be prescribed by rules &
also to allow four visits to the crèche by the woman daily, including the
interval for rest allowed to her and every establishment to intimate in writing
and electronically to every woman at the time of her initial appointment about
the benefits available under the Act.
3.
The Employees’ Compensation (Amendment)
Bill, 2016 was passed in Lok Sabha on 9th
August, 2016 to modify the provisions of Employees’ Compensation Act, 1923
to rationalize the penalties and strengthen the rights of the worker under the
Act.
4.
The Child Labour (Prohibition and
Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016, passed by
the Parliament on 26th July,2016. This Amendment Bill clearly stipulates total
and complete prohibition on employment of children below 14 years and proposed
more stringent punishments for violations. Amendment bill seeks to ensure
the Right of Children to schooling and learning. However, children are allowed
to help in their family enterprises only in non-hazardous occupations and that
too only after school hours or during vacations. Amendment
also prohibits Adolescents in the age group of 14-18 years of their
employment in hazardous occupations and permits their engagement in only
certain occupations to be specified in due course.
5.
Cabinet in its meeting held on 29th June,2016 considered the
Model Shops and Establishment (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of
Service) Bill,2016. The Model Bill is a suggestive piece of
legislation and has been finalized keeping in view the spirit of cooperative
federalism. This gives liberty to States for fine tuning the Model bill
to suit their requirement. This Model Bill applies to shops and
establishments employing ten or more workers except manufacturing units.
This Model bill gives freedom to operate 365 days in a year and
opening/closing time of establishment, women to be permitted during night
shift, if the provision of shelter, rest room, ladies toilets, adequate
protection of their dignity and transportation etc., exists.
Labour Codes:
6.
The 2nd National Commission on Labour had
recommended codification of Labour Laws in to 4-5 Groups on functional
basis. At present, Ministry of Labour & Employment is working to
rationalize the provisions of the 43 Labour Laws in 4 Labour Codes viz.
·
Labour Code on Wages -.
·
Labour Code on Industrial Relations -
·
Labour Code on Social Security & Welfare -.
·
Labour Code on Safety &Working Conditions –
- Administrative
Initiatives / Decisions:
- The
government has announced more than 42% increase in the minimum wages for
all sectors in the central sphere. For the first time minimum wages for
all sectors; agricultural, non-Agricultural, Construction etc. have been
increased simultaneously. Minimum wage (per day) for non-agricultural
worker in the ‘C’ area category increased form Rs. 246/- to Rs 350/-,Rs
437/- in ‘B’ area category and Rs. 523/- in ‘A’ area category.
2. ESI coverage on Wage ceiling has been increased from Rs.15000/- to
Rs.21,000/-.
- Minimum
pension under EPS has been revised to Rs.1000/- in perpetuity per month in
April 2015.
- Bonus
ceiling has been enhanced from Rs.3500/- to Rs.7000/- and the eligibility
limit has been raised from Rs.10000/- to Rs.21000/-
- EDLI
Benefit increased from 3.6 Lakh (max) to 6.0 Lakh(max)
- Time
limit reduced to 20 days from 30 days for EPF claim settlements.
- Optional
Deferment of age for drawing Pension from 58 year to 60 year with 4% per
year incentive.
7.
Revised scheme for the rehabilitation of Bonded Labour with
the quantum of financial assistance increased from the symbolic
level of Rs 20 thousand to an amount of Rs 3 lakhs. While the most deprived and
marginalized like the disabled, female and children rescued from trafficking,
sexual exploitation and transgender will get Rs 3 lakhs, the next in order is
the special category comprising of females and the minors who will now get Rs 2
lakhs. A normal adult male bonded labour will get Rs. 1 lakh.
8.
Extending coverage of ESI Scheme for extending its social security
net to the whole country.
I.
The Government has issued coverage Notifications covering 165
districts in whole where the ESI Scheme was earlier implemented in part.
1. Decision
taken to enhance the maternity benefits under ESIC from existing 12 weeks to 26
weeks. Adopting and commissioning mothers also to get maternity benefits.
Intention notification sent for legal vetting.
2. It
is decided to reduce the employees' and employers contribution under ESI Act
from existing 1.75 and 4.75% to 1% and 3%, respectively for two years in new
implemented areas of districts where ESI scheme is partly implemented.
Intention notification published on 25.7.2016
II.
ESI Coverage has been extended to Construction workers in the
implemented area. Construction site Workers have been covered to avail benefits
under the ESI Scheme w.e.f. 1st August, 2015.
III.
Extending the social security benefits of ESI Scheme in the
remaining North-East States Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Andaman
& Nicobar Island. It has been implemented in Mizoram w.e.f. 1.12.2015 and
in Port Blair w.e.f. 01.01.2016.
- Governance Reforms through Technology
- Ease
of compliance & better enforcement of Labour Laws
Shram Suvidha Portal in the Central Sphere
A unified Web Portal ‘Shram Suvidha Portal’ launched on
16.10.2014 to bring transparency and accountability in enforcement of labour
laws and ease complexity of compliance. Main features of this portal included
·
Unique Labour Identification Number (LIN) is allotted to Units.
13.19 Lakh LIN allotted as on 09.09.2016.
·
Filing of self-certified and simplified Single Online
Common Annual Return by the establishments. Units will only file a single
consolidated Return online instead of filing separate Returns under 9 Labour
Acts.
·
Transparent Labour Inspection Scheme through computerized system
Total 2,37,579 inspections have been assigned and out of that 2,20,945
inspections have been uploaded as on 09.09.2016.
·
Establishment can now submit monthly contribution return for ESIC
and EPFO using this portal
·
Multilingual Shram Suvidha Portal-with options in 11
languages.
Recent initiatives on Shram Suvidha Portal.
·
Common Electronic Challan Cum Return (ECR) facility for EPFO and
ESIC.
·
Common Registration under 5 Central Labour Acts, by integration
with DIPP’s E-Biz Portal.
·
Facility of return submission under Mines Act for DGMS, on Shram
Suvidha Portal.
2. Better Delivery of Service:
Employees Provident Fund Organisation
- Universal Account Number (UAN) :
- Universal
Account Number(UAN) programme launched on 16th October 2014 is
designed to act as an umbrella for the multiple Member IDs allotted to
same individual.
- As
on 31.08.2016, EPFO has allotted around 8.11 crore UAN to its members and
around 2.82 crore of these members have activated using their Mobile
number and enjoying various related services.
2.
Online Registration of Establishments (OLRE):
- As
part of the commitment of Government to ease of doing business, on 30th
June 2014, EPFO launched the facility for the establishments to apply
online for allotment of PF Code Number.
- Employers
now apply online PF code number and upload the digitally signed documents
at the time of application itself (from December 2015) and obtain on the
spot code number immediately.
- As
on 31.08.2016, around 1.36 Lakhs establishments have already obtained
online registration on OLRE portal till date.
3.
Online Facilities to Members:
- In
September 2015, EPFO moved from e-governance to m-governance and launched
a mobile application. So far over 11.08 lakhs members have downloaded the
Mobile App.
- Through
Missed Call service at 01122901406, at no cost to the member, member is
provided with all the envisaged details.
- As
on 09.09.2016, around 3.12 crores missed calls have been received since 16th
September 2015.
- The
members who have activated their UAN receives regular SMS regarding their
deposit of monthly PF contribution in their account. A SMS message is also
being sent to employers that they have not deposited the monthly
contribution or non-deposit of returns.
4.
Exempted Establishments Brought on
E-Portal
- The
exempted establishments are a big part of the EPFO compliance system and
managing huge funds to the tune of approximately 3 lacs crores.
- EPFO
launched the facility of online submission of monthly return of
contributions, investments and other activities.
5.
Inoperative Accounts Helpdesk:
- An
online help desk created to assist the members in tracing their
inoperative accounts and withdrawing or merging them with the present
account (UAN) has helped in 65 thousand cases so far.
6.
Updation of Accounts:
- A
new mechanism to credit the interest in members’ accounts has been
developed for auto-updation of members’ accounts at the end of the
financial year, updating with interest, more than 15 crore accounts.
7.
Facilities to International Workers :
- To
ensure social security not only to persons working within India but also
to those coming to India and going abroad, a facility was launched for the
international workers for online fillable form seeking certificate of
coverage (COC).
8.
Global Network Operations Centre (g-NOC)
:
- EPFO
has started its Network Operation Centre at National Data Centre
monitoring the IT functioning of the EPFO. It shall be nodal point for
handling troubleshooting as well as detecting and preventing all external threats.
9.
Compliance Analysis & Monitoring
System of EPFO :
- This
software was launched o 16.02.2016
- Principal
employers, registered with EPFO & Government Department which are not
registered with EPFO will upload details of contract awarded with due
details – which will be available to EPFO for checking.
10. SOCIAL MEDIA
Employees State Insurance Corporation:
ESI Scheme - The Employees’ State
Insurance Corporation- ESIC (Ministry of Labour & Employment) is a social
security organisation that provides comprehensive medical care and cash
benefits in the contingencies of Sickness, Maternity, Disablement, death due to
employment injury and Unemployment to beneficiaries i.e the organized sector
working class in the lower wage bracket of the society. The total number
of Insured Persons covered (as on 31.03.2015) are 2.03 crore and number
of beneficiaries (as on 31.03.2015) 7.89 crore .
7.
ESIC Medical College, Coimbatore has been handed over to the State
Government of Tamil Nadu on 02.02.2016.
ii. ESIC has now resolved to adopt two
Model Hospitals, in each State.
iii Providing
appropriate cancer detection/treatment facilities, cardiology treatment
facilities, dialysis facilities on PPP Model at different levels of hospitals.
iv.For facilitating the
practice of telemedicine, the RFP for pilot run has already been floated
and the project is expected to go live in the next three months.
v.Special focus has been
paid for upgradation of Dispensaries, 24 Dispensaries in ESIC
buildings have been identified for up- gradation to 30 bedded set up to provide
24x7 services.
vi.Pathological &
X-ray facilities will be provided on PPP model in all the dispensaries in phases. Pathological services in all
dispensaries of Delhi has been started from 30th November, 2015. Laboratory and
ECG Services has been started in ESI Dispensary of Delhi/Noida area.
vii.Mother and Child Care
Hospital in every State: ESIC has constituted a committee to prepare the
norms for setting up a Mother and Child Care Hospital in every State.
D. AYUSH: Besides Allopathic
treatment, ESIC hospitals also provide treatment under AYUSH
(Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy).
E. Transforming Public Employment Services
Activities and achievements
of DGE for the year 2016
a. National Career
Service (NCS) –Public Employment Service Platform
The Ministry is implementing
the National Career Service (NCS) Project as a vibrant platform for
transforming and strengthening the public employment services in the country.
The NCS Portal (www.ncs.gov.in) brings together job seekers, employers and other
stakeholders on a common platform using information technology to provide a
variety of employment related services like job matching, career counselling
and information on skill development courses, apprenticeships, etc. It has rich
repository of career content on over 3600 occupations across 52 sectors. Over
3.71 crore candidates, 14.8 lakh establishments are registered on the NCS
Portal and it has mobilised over 3.25 lakh vacancies. To enhance the reach and
enrich the employment opportunities available to youth, strategic MOUs have
been signed with leading job portals, placement organisations and institutions
of repute. Government of India has recently made it mandatory for government
vacancies to be posted on the NCS Portal. The NCS project also involves setting
up of 100 Model Career Centres to deliver quality employment services and these
centres are being set up in collaboration with States and Institutions. All the
employment exchanges are being linked up with the NCS Portal and job fairs are
being organised on a regular basis.
b. Enhancing
Employability of the workforce
DGE runs 24 National Career
Service Centres for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (NCSC SC/STs) for
providing vocational guidance and counselling services and also training in
computer courses. In the last 2 years, around 3.8 lakh SC/ST candidates were
provided vocational guidance and counselling, 33 thousand candidates pursued
secretarial practices (shorthand/typing) for enhancing employability, 4,300
candidates pursed the special coaching scheme course and 7,800 candidates
pursued the computer courses. The 24 (NCSC SC/STs) have been integrated with
the NCS Project.
In addition, 21 National
Career Service Centres for Differently Abled (NCSCDA) provide training and
guidance. In the last 2 years, around 69 thousand persons with disabilities were
helped and around 24 thousand were rehabilitate with various organisations.
c. Pradhan Mantri
Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY)scheme
The Ministry is implementing
the Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojanaa (PMRPY) scheme to incentivize
employers registered with the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) for
new employment. Under the Scheme, Government will be paying the 8.33% EPS
contribution for these new employment for a period of 3 years. For the textile
(garmenting) sector, Government will also pay the 3.67% EPF contribution of
employers for these new employees.
*******
F.
Opening Bank Accounts for Cashless transaction of wages.
The
huge efforts of Labour and Employment Ministry have succeeded in bringing over thirty
lakhs forty thousand workers into banking fold within one month of launching a
campaign on 26th November for ensuring cashless transaction of wages. It may be
noted that already 25.68 crore Jandhan Accounts are existing and all the left
over workers are being covered. Till last evening |(26 December, 2016) , 38,40,
863 (thirty eight lakh forty thousand eight hundred and sixty three) bank
accounts were opened by organizing 1,08,179 (one lakh eight thousand one
hundred and seventy nine) camps for this purpose.
F.
Workers’ Education
The
workers education scheme is itself a welfare scheme being run by the
Ministry through the Dattopant Thengadi National Board for Workers
Education & Development (renaming of CBWE). The CBWE has implemented
D.B.T. w.e.f. 1/1/2015 as per the directives of the Ministry.This is
one of the remarkable achievement of the Board w.e.f. 1.1.2015 onwards.
The Board has
achieve the target during year 2016 ,upto November 2016 of the year
2016-17
Workers
Education Scheme Sector wise
|
No.of
Preogrammes conducted
|
Workers
Trained
uoto
November, 2016
|
Organised
|
1453
|
33858
|
Unorganised
|
3648
|
140760
|
Rural
including MGNREGA
|
921
|
36963
|
***
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