Ministry of Labour & Employment 22-Dec-2012
Members participating in the meeting of Parliamentary Consultative Committee on
Comprehensive Amendment in Labour Laws have urged the government for the
effective and speedy implementation of labour laws along with the timely
redressal of Grievances. In meeting held yesterday the members raised the issue
of Child labour Laws alongwith the Contract Labour Law reforms. Union Labour &
Employment Minister Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, who chaired the meeting assured
the members for due consideration on the issue raised.
Welcoming the members the minister the minister said Labour being a subject in
the Concurrent List where both Central and State Governments are competent to
enact legislations. Ministry of Labour & Employment is presently administering
44 Labour Laws catering to diverse subjects, namely, occupational health &
safety, employment services, training of apprentices, skill development,
minimum wages, social security, industrial dispute, labour welfare, child
labour etc. He said the Ministry has been reviewing various labour laws from
time to time and taking action towards amendment of the labour laws keeping
into consideration the changes in the socio economic scenario and the
requirements of the workers in organized as well as in the unorganized sector.
Shri Mallikarjuna Kharge informed the members that last few years, amendments
have been carried out in Payment of Wages Act, 1936 enhancing ceiling of
workers from Rs.1,600/- to Rs.6,500/- per month and subsequently to Rs.10,000/-
per month, Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, wherein the calculation ceiling and
eligibility limit under the Act has been enhanced from Rs.2,500/- to Rs.3,500/-
and from Rs.3,500/- to Rs.10,000/- per month respectively.
The Apprentices Act, 1961 has been amended to provide reservation for other
backward classes. The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 has been amended to enhance
the medical bonus from Rs.250/-to Rs.1000/- and also empowering the Central
Government to further increase it to maximum of Rs.20,000/- through Gazette
Notification.
The Workmen’s Compensation Act has been amended to make it gender neutral and
it is now called “the Employees’ Compensation Act, 1923. Besides this, the
Compensation in case of death, disablement and funeral expense paid under the
Act have also been enhanced. The Plantation Labour Act, 1951 has been amended
to provide safety and occupational health care to plantation workers.
The minister said his Ministry has amended the Employees’ State Insurance Act,
1948 to improve the quality of delivery of benefits under the scheme and also
to enable ESI infrastructure to be used to provide health care to workers of
the unorganized sector. The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 has been amended to
enhance ceiling on gratuity from Rs.3.5 lakh to Rs.10 lakh and to cover the
teachers in educational institutions.
Also, the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 has been amended to amplify the term
“appropriate Government” defined under section 2(a) of the Act. The wage
ceiling for coverage under the Act has been enhanced from Rs.1600/- to
Rs.10,000/- per month to cover workmen working in supervising capacity. The
amended provisions also provide direct access for the workman to the Labour
Court or Tribunal.
Shri Kharge also informed that the Government has also introduced Bills in
Parliament for Amendment in the following Labour Acts: -
(i) The Mines Act, 1952.
(ii) The Labour Laws (Exemption from Furnishing Returns and Maintaining
Registers by Certain Establishments) Act, 1988.
(iii) The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulations of Employment and
Conditions of Service) Act, 1979.
(iv) The Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986.
It was also highlighted that other major Labour Acts which are under various
stages of consideration for amendments are: -
(i) The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment &
Conditions of Services) Act, 1996
(ii) The Factories Act 1948,
(iii) The Minimum wages Act 1948,
(iv) The Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952,
(v) The Apprentice Act 1961
(vi) The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970
(vii) The Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act,
1959.
Shri Khrge solicited members cooperation & guidance in the formulation of
amendments as well review of Labour Laws in the course of discussions. Shri
Mangala Kisan (BJD) & Shri Ram Sunder Das (SP) were the members who
participated in the dissussions. Besides, the Minister of State in the Labour &
Employment Ministry Shri K.Suresh, Dr. Mrutunjay Sarangi, Secretary Labour &
Employment and senior officers from the ministry were present in the meeting.
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