House panel seeks effective implementation of labour laws, speedy redressal of grievances

Members of the consultative committee of Parliament attending a meeting on comprehensive amendments to the labour laws have sought effective and speedy implementation of labour laws along with timely redressal of grievances.

In a meeting chaired by union minister of labour and employment Mallikarjun Kharge, members of the consultative committee attached to the labour ministry specifically raised the issue of laws relating to child labour and reforms in contract labour laws.

Kharge, however, said since labour is a subject in the concurrent list where both central and state governments are competent to enact legislations, implementation of laws also depends on how best both governments proceed.

He said the labour ministry is administering 44 labour laws catering to diverse subjects, including occupational health and safety, employment services, training of apprentices, skill development, minimum wages, social security, industrial dispute, labour welfare, child labour etc.

He said the ministry has been reviewing various labour laws from time to time and taking action towards amendment of the labour laws keeping in consideration the changes in the socio economic scenario and the requirements of the workers in organised as well as in the unorganised sector.

He said the ministry has been in the process of amending the various laws. Kharge said amendments have been carried out in the Payment of Wages Act, 1936 enhancing ceiling of workers from Rs1,600 to Rs6,500 per month and subsequently to Rs10,000 per month; Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, wherein the calculation ceiling and eligibility limit under the Act has been enhanced from Rs2,500 to Rs3,500 and from Rs3,500 to Rs10,000 per month, respectively.

The Apprentices Act, 1961 has been amended to provide reservation for other backward classes. The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 has been amended to enhance the medical bonus from Rs250 to Rs1,000 and also empowering the central government to further increase it to maximum of Rs20,000 through a Gazette notification.

The Workmen's Compensation Act has been amended to make it gender neutral and it is now called ''The Employees' Compensation Act, 1923. Besides this, the compensation in case of death, disablement and funeral expense paid under the Act have also been enhanced. The Plantation Labour Act, 1951 has been amended to provide safety and occupational health care to plantation workers.

The minister said his ministry has amended the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948 to improve the quality of delivery of benefits under the scheme and also to enable ESI infrastructure to be used to provide health care to workers of the unorganised sector. The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 has been amended to enhance ceiling on gratuity from Rs3.5 lakh to Rs10 lakh and to cover the teachers in educational institutions.

Also, the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 has been amended to amplify the term ''appropriate government'' defined under section 2(a) of the Act. The wage ceiling for coverage under the Act has been enhanced from Rs1,600 to Rs10,000 per month to cover workmen working in supervising capacity. The amended provisions also provide direct access for the workman to the labour court or tribunal.

The government, Khargae said, has also introduced bills in Parliament for amendment in the following labour Acts:

• The Mines Act, 1952,
  
• The Labour Laws (Exemption from Furnishing Returns and Maintaining Registers by Certain Establishments) Act, 1988,
  
• The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulations of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 and
  
• The Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986.

Other major labour Acts which are under various stages of consideration for amendments include:

• The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment & Conditions of Services) Act, 1996,
  
• The Factories Act 1948,
  
• The Minimum wages Act 1948,
  
• The Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952,
  
• The Apprentice Act 1961,
  
• The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970 and
  
• The Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959.

Khrge sought members' cooperation and guidance in the formulation of amendments as well review of labour laws in the course of discussions.