Coal India launches portal for contract labour payment management

Coal India Limited (CIL) has launched a web portal to curb corruption and exploitation of workers by contractors and ensure timely payments to contract workers.

Minister of state (IC) for power, coal and new and renewable energy Piyush Goyal launched 'Contract Labour Payment Management System' in New Delhi today. Goyal also felicitated employees of his ministries, public sector undertakings and organisation/statutory bodies for their path breaking work towards lighting up India in last two years.

Goyal said the portal is one more step to reach out in providing information to the people of India, adding that it will curb problems like corruption and exploitation of labour by the contractors and help provide proper and timely wages to contractual workers .

Through this portal, the wages will be calculated and credited directly in bank account of the all contractual labourers.

The minister urged all other PSUs and private sector organisations to replicate this portal and assured free of cost technical support. This portal will be made fully functional within 45 to 60 days, Goyal added.

Speaking at a felicitation ceremony to recognise 44 employees from 34 organisations of 3 ministries from 26 states, Goyal said the contribution of the dedicated workforce reflected the undaunting spirit of Team India.

On coal production targets of CIL, Goyal said CIL is aiming to produce 598 million tonnes of coal this fiscal. With this high production target, ''we are aiming to reduce coal import bill by Rs40,000 crore this year as against Rs28,000 crore during last year.''

The minister said CIL is planning to set up 15 washeries, which will be completed by I October 2017 and we are going well on target.

Goyal also made announcement for a series of upcoming mobile application/ web portals of his ministries. He said the ministries are working to launch a Renewable Energy mobile application for solar and wind power bids and projects; a Transmission app to provide information regarding location of new transmission projects and Coal linkages auction web portal.

The 'Contract Labour Payment Management System' web portal is created for monitoring compliance of labour payment and other benefits to the contract workers under the Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act. 1970, which has been integrated for all subsidiaries of CIL.

The in-house developed application will maintain a comprehensive database of all contract workers engaged by different contractors in CIL and all its subsidiaries. Central Mine Planning and Development Institute (CMPDI), the Ranchi-based consultancy subsidiary of Coal India Limited, will maintain the portal.

The system has in-built mechanism to validate minimum wages paid, generate wage slips and employment card etc of contract workers as required under the Act. The portal provides access to all contract workers, through a Workers Identification Number (WIN), to view their personal details and payment status. Contract workers can also register their grievance through this portal. The system extends facility to all citizens of the country to view a snapshot of contract works in CIL and subsidiaries, number of contract workers engaged, payment status, minimum wages paid etc. The nodal officer at different locations in the company will monitor the process and ensure compliance by all contractors. It has been planned to make payment to the contractors only after submitting a system generated declaration of compliance.

This will enhance proper monitoring of legal compliances under Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, especially the payment of correct wages to the contract workers and PF deductions and deposit and other statutory obligations.