The Hindu Business Line : PM for more jobs in manufacturing

The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, flanked by the Union Labour Minister, Mr K. Chandrashekhar Rao (right), and the Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, at a meeting with trade union leaders in the Capital on Saturday. - Kamal Narang

New Delhi , Aug. 19

The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Saturday assured trade union leaders of his Government's commitment to labour welfare and stressed the need to create more jobs outside agriculture, particularly manufacturing.

"While we are taking all possible steps for the growth of agriculture, we need to create jobs elsewhere, particularly in manufacturing," he said.

In the first meeting of its kind since the UPA Government assumed office in May 2004, Dr Singh said "the opportunities are there. We need to sit back and reflect how we can boost our manufacturing sector, create more jobs, have better incomes for our workers and have better working conditions for them."

He told the trade union leaders that an important point has come in India's economic history, and stressed on the need to boost the manufacturing sector and enlarge the pie so that everyone got a larger share. "We need to reflect on how we can rapidly enlarge the pie we have so that all of us can get a larger share of it," he said.

The meeting was attended by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) General Secretary, Mr M. K. Pandhe, and secretary, Mr Varadarajan, the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) General Secretary, Mr Gurudas Dasgupta, the United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) chief, Mr Abani Roy, the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) President, Mr Sanjeeva Reddy, and the Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) leader, Mr U.M. Purohit.

Apart from the Prime Minister, the other Ministers present at the meeting were the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr Sharad Pawar, the Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Mr Santosh Mohan Dev and the Labour Minister, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Trade unions' demands

The trade unions raised the issues of workers being deprived and the need for comprehensive legislation to protect the interest of agricultural workers. They also demanded the removal of ceiling on the Payment of Bonus Act and introduction of the unorganised sector labour Bill, Mr Dasgupta told reporters.

They also sought protection of workers' rights to form trade unions, citing last year's incidents at the Honda factory in Haryana.

Social security

The Prime Minister said that during the last two years, the Government brought in several legislations that will have a beneficial impact on the working sections of the population, both men and women, in cities and in villages. Among them, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act is the most significant as it provides income security to the most vulnerable sections of society in rural areas.

He also said the Government was working on how to provide some degree of social security to workers in the unorganised sector.

Revival of sick PSUs

On the revival of sick public sector undertakings, Dr Singh said recommendations for the revival of 32 PSUs had been received of which 20 had been approved. Revival packages valued at over Rs 5,600 crore had been approved.

"While trying to revive PSUs, we have also tried to see that workers of loss-making PSUs do not suffer unduly. We have released Rs 1,800 crore of wages and other dues to employees of loss-making PSUs," he said.

More Stories on : Economy | Employment | Sick Units | Trade & Labour Unions | Social Security

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