Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the government has in the last eight years taken the initiative to abolish the laws from the period of slavery that reflect the slavery mentality.
“The country is now changing, reforming, and simplifying such labour laws,” the Prime Minister said, adding that with this in mind, 29 labour laws have been converted into four simple labour codes.
“This will ensure the empowerment of workers via minimum wages, job, social, and health security,” he said in his address to the National Labour Conference of Labour Ministers of all States and UTs in Tirupati.
The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment is keen on implementing the four Labour Codes at the earliest, and one of the thematic sessions at the conference will also focus on the long-pending legislation.
The Prime Minister also stressed the need to take full advantage of the fourth industrial revolution by taking quick decisions and implementing them.
Improving women participation
With the rise of the platform and gig economy and online facilities, the Prime Minister underlined the need to be alert towards the emerging dimensions of work. “Right policies and efforts in this area will help in making India a global leader,” he said.
Reiterating that the future needs flexible workplaces, a work-from-home ecosystem, and flexible work hours, the Prime Minister said that systems like flexible workplaces can also be used as opportunities to improve the participation of women in the labour force.
“By making the right use of women power, India can achieve its goals faster,” he said, while emphasising the need to think of what can be done for women in the newly emerging sectors in the country.
Vison 2047
The Labour Ministry is also preparing a vision for the year 2047, which is another theme for discussion at the two-day conference.
The Prime Minister also urged States to make full use of the Building and Construction Workers’ Cess, where he noted that ₹38,000 crore has still not been utilised.
He also called upon them to pay attention to how ESIC, together with the Ayushman Bharat scheme, can benefit more and more workers.