Lok Sabha Question No. 1544 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-05
Subject: Labour Policy
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: VINOD CHAVDA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1544 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.03.2018

## LABOUR POLICY

1544. SHRI VINOD LAKHAMASHI CHAVDA:

Will  the  Minister  of  LABOUR  AND  EMPLOYMENT  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)whether the Government has prepared any labour policy for the year 2015-2016;
- (b)if so, the details thereof; and
- (c)the number of labourers taking the advantage of Provident Fund in the country, State/UT-wise including Gujarat?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

- (a) & (b):   Reforms in labour laws are an on-going process to update the legislative as well as governance system to address the need of the hour so as to make them more effective, flexible and in sync with emerging economic and industrial scenario. The Ministry has taken a number of legislative as well as governance initiatives during the last 3  years  for  the  protection  of  the  interests  of  labourers.  Some  of  the important initiatives are as follows:-
-  Amendment  to  the  Payment  of  Bonus  Act,  1965  by  which eligibility limit for payment of bonus enhanced from Rs 10000/- to Rs. 21000/- per month and the Calculation Ceiling from Rs. 3500/to Rs. 7000/- or the minimum wages.
-  Payment of Wages (Amendment) Act, 2017 enabling payment of Wages to  employees  by  Cash  or  Cheque  or  crediting  it to  their bank account.
-  Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment  Act, 2016 provides for complete ban on employment of children below 14 years in any occupation or process.

-  Maternity  Benefit  Amendment  Act,  2017, increases  the  paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks.
-  The  Employee  Compensation  (Amendment)  Act,  2017  seeks  to rationalize  penalties  and  strengthen  the  rights  of  the  workers under the Act.
-  Shram Suvidha Portal, launched by the Government on 16.10.2014,  operates  a  transparent  risk  based  Online  Labour Inspection Service for effective enforcement of Labour Laws.

These initiatives intends to promote wage security, job security and social security for workers.

State/UT-wise number of members accounts of employees' Provident Fund as on 31.03.2017 is given in annexure 'A'.

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Annexure referred to in reply to part (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.  1544 dated 5.3.2018 raised by Shri Vinod Lakhamashi Chavda regarding Labour Policy

| STATE                                                                                    |                             |                           |           |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------|-----------|
|                                                                                          | in Unexempted establishment | in Exempted establishment | TOTAL     |
| ANDAMAN &NICOBAR ISLANDS                                                                 | 34932                       | 1                         | 34933     |
| ANDHRA PRADESH                                                                           | 3678246                     | 77033                     | 3755279   |
| ASSAM INCLUDING ARUNACHAL PRADESH, MANIPUR, MIZORAM, NAGALAND,SIKKAM,TRIPURA &MEGHALAYA. | 919952                      | 25241                     | 945193    |
| BIHAR                                                                                    | 1210808                     | 24901                     | 1235709   |
| CHANDIGARH                                                                               | 3141712                     | 18618                     | 3160330   |
| CHATTISGARH                                                                              | 1497119                     | 50004                     | 1547123   |
| DELHI                                                                                    | 14887564                    | 659142                    | 15546706  |
| GOA                                                                                      | 1303786                     | 12919                     | 1316705   |
| GUJARAT INCLUDING DADRA& NAGARHAVELI&DAMAN& DIU.                                         | 14965561                    | 294498                    | 15260059  |
| HARYANA                                                                                  | 13675494                    | 366092                    | 14041586  |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH                                                                         | 1328323                     | 34181                     | 1362504   |
| JHARKHAND                                                                                | 1782764                     | 215173                    | 1997937   |
| KARNATAKA                                                                                | 20172762                    | 2324623                   | 22497385  |
| KERALA INCLUDING LAKSHADWEEP                                                             | 2930697                     | 42991                     | 2973688   |
| MADHYAPRADESH                                                                            | 4315997                     | 87754                     | 4403751   |
| MAHARASHTRA                                                                              | 35830640                    | 2586446                   | 38417086  |
| ODISHA                                                                                   | 2842554                     | 82898                     | 2925452   |
| PUNJAB                                                                                   | 2987623                     | 63720                     | 3051343   |
| RAJASTHAN                                                                                | 4739045                     | 184445                    | 4923490   |
| TAMIL NADU INCLUDING PUDUCHERRY                                                          | 23056290                    | 596799                    | 23653089  |
| TELANGANA                                                                                | 10193992                    | 498239                    | 10692231  |
| UTTAR PRADESH                                                                            | 8078977                     | 270237                    | 8349214   |
| UTTRAKHAND                                                                               | 2637513                     | 77271                     | 2714784   |
| WEST BENGAL                                                                              | 7923925                     | 662358                    | 8586283   |
| TOTAL                                                                                    | 184136276                   | 9255584                   | 193391860 |

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