Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the government will carry out labour reforms through consensus with the labour organizations. He was addressing the inaugural session’> New Delhi: Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today said it is essential for Indian society to develop a consciousness towards “dignity of labour”. “Giving opportunities to apprentices is the need of the hour”, Modi said, adding there was a need to focus on people who are unemployed. “I am working on simplifying the laws so that even the poorest are able to understand their rights and avail them”, said Modi.
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“Unless there is clarity on reform proposals, investors are not keen to pump in new money”, said Deven Choksey, managing director at KR Choksey Securities. Modi addressed the gathering at the event where he laid emphasis on respecting the labourers. The Prime Minister asked industry to promote apprenticeship and make it as part of their corporate social responsibility.
Centre’s flexibility seems to be in contrast to Vasundhara Raje government’s sweeping changes in Rajasthan labour laws. Similarly, he added, there is a thin line that separates the good of the worker and the good of the labour union; the good of the nation and the good of the government. Passing it would in itself be a victory and go someway to reassuring investors who are growing jittery that economic modernisation is happening more slowly than they hoped under Modi.
Rai said the unions now felt the government was listening to their concerns, such as a demand for a higher minimum wage.
“If we want to move ahead, we need to give opportunities to our youth”.
The Prime Minister also dedicated the National Career Service (NCS) portal to the nation and launched health reforms of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation of India (ESIC) on the occasion.
Union ministers Arun Jaitley and Bandaru Dattatreya, MoS (independent charge) labour and employment were present on the occasion.
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Earlier, finance minister Arun Jaitley told the leaders that several issues like contract labour, social security, minimum wages and enforcement of labour laws can be resolved immediately while other matters required further discussion. “All trade unions are unanimous on this and will remain united”.
