New Delhi, Sep 23 (UNI) Three labour code bills which would provide social security to the country's labour force was approved by Parliament on Wednesday with the Rajya Sabha passing three key legislations- The Industrial Relations Code, 2020, The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 and The Code of Social Security, 2020.
These Bill have already passed by the Lok Sabha on September 22.
He takes a dig at the Congress and says this is not the first time that the Congress is not present. "Congress has not cared for the workers."
Responding to a debate on the Bill, Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangawar said that these Bills will provide social security to 50 crore workers for the first time after Independence.
Taking a dig on the Opposition parties, he said that they are absent from the House and that shows their approach towards these workers.
“There were some efforts made to simplify the complicated labour laws and better working conditions for this class in 2003, but the successive Government did not do anything for them, it was the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA Government in 2014 which initiated a slew of measures for the labourers” Mr Gangawar said.
Thanking all Members who participated in the debate, he said that the Bill has provisions for migrant workers to get a yearly travel allowance to go back to their home states from their employers whereas a provision has also been made for a free healthy check up at all ESI hospitals and dispensaries.
A new working environment for have been provided in this Bill including the 26 weeks of maternity leave which was 16 week in past, rations through the PDS system for the migrants workers and the labours employed in building construction will get to have more facilities, Mr Gangawar said.
The Government has not taken away workers' right to strike. The 14 day notice is for a chance to solve the dispute, he added.
Speaking on the labour code, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar, in the capacity of Member of Parliament, said that the workers had become entangled in labour laws so far. "Cases would go on in tribunals and workers wouldn't get justice, but now the cases will have to be disposed of in one year", he added.
Similarly, Minister of States for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale as an MP said that there is a need to end the contract system.
Asserting that these Bills will ensure that the country becomes truly atma nirbhar (self-reliant), the BJP lawmaker Vivek Thakur said this was a step towards 'One code, one nation or one country, one license', he says. "The codes have the potential of making a huge social impact”, he added.
Subhash Chandra Singh of BJD said that economic growth cannot be envisaged at the cost of health and safety of workers. He cautioned that the Government making Aadhar compulsory should be reconsidered and must be made user-friendly as done in Odisha.
JD(U) Member RCP Singh, while supporting this Bill, said the consolidation of labour legislations is welcome and a win-win for workers and employers.
Lawmakers SR Balasubramoniyan of AIDMK, K Ravindra Kumar of TDP and Rakesh Sinha of BJP also spoke during the discussion on the three labour codes.
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