Social security, labour welfare will drive inclusive growth in India: Labour Secretary Sumita Dawra
Aug 29, 2024
New Delhi [India], August 29 : Secretary for Ministry of Labour and Employment Sumita Dawra on Thursday emphasized that decriminalization of labour laws, increasing female workforce participation, social security, and labour welfare will drive inclusive growth in India.
She said this while participating in an industry interaction, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Employers' Federation of India (EFI) in Bengaluru.
The session witnessed participation from more than 200 industry members to gain insights on labour and employment reforms.
Dawra highlighted the initiatives related to the Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business reforms and schemes introduced by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
She also mentioned employment, an improving trend evidenced by PLFS and KLEMS data, EPFO net subscribers have gone up by more than 6 crores since September 2017. The growth drivers of employment in the non-farm sector are services, construction, trade and manufacturing.
In this context, to improve job creation, quality of jobs and formalisation of the labour market, with access to social security schemes, the ELI Schemes have been announced in the budget 2024-25, she highlighted.
The interaction not only provided clarity on the government's policies but also fostered a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the labour and employment sector in India.
Kamal Bali, Immediate Past Chairman, CII Southern Region, and President & Managing Director, of Volvo Group, highlighted the foundation for a productive discussion on the evolving landscape of India's growth and current business ecosystem in India.
One of the highlights of the event was the interactive session focusing on Social Security measures, featuring in-depth discussions with representatives from the Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO).
Participants explored the recent reforms introduced by these organizations, which have significantly enhanced service delivery and streamlined compliance mechanisms. The session emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration between the government and industry to ensure the successful implementation of these reforms.
Ashok Kumar Singh, Director General, Employees' State Insurance Corporation conducted the interaction on ESIC. The interaction highlighted the importance of dispensary and mobile ambulance services for ease of business for small-scale industries. Several queries related to facilities of ESIC, Challans, and dispensaries were addressed by ESIC officials. Challenges faced by employers in registering employees, especially disabled employees were raised.
Digital signature, online claims, ease of compliance, and higher pension were key issues discussed by employers during interaction with EPFO. There should be integration and compatibility among ministries for various initiatives and schemes for on-the-job training of employees and interns, they said.
The Employment Linked Schemes were also the focus during the interaction. The industry shared various suggestions for the smooth implementation of the schemes.
The event concluded on a positive note, with participants expressing their appreciation for the valuable insights shared by Sumita Dawra and other speakers.
CII extends its gratitude to all participants and looks forward to continued engagement with the Ministry of Labour & Employment to support the ongoing reforms and initiatives aimed at enhancing the Ease of Doing Business. Such interactions between Government and Industry create an awareness of changes and steps taken to create a positive industry environment for both the workers as well as Industry.
