Lok Sabha Question No. 1242 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-19
Subject: ILO Report on India’s Workforce
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shashi Tharoor, Anto  Antony

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1242 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.09.2020

## ILO REPORT ON INDIA'S WORKFORCE

1242. DR. SHASHI THAROOR: SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

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

(a)whether COVID-19 crisis has pushed about 90% of India's workforce of 500

million in the informal sector out of jobs as per a report by ILO;

- (b)if so, the details thereof;
- (c)whether the Ministry has identified the worst affected sectors and regions and  outlined  policies  to  mitigate  the  crisis  as  the  eventual  increase  in unemployment will substantially depend on policy measures;
- (d)if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e)whether the Government has noticed that a report of ILO that 40 crores of Indian people are being pushed to below poverty line; and
- (f)if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (f): ILO's report namely 'ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of  work-  Second  edition-  Updated  Estimates  and  Analysis'  (dated  7 th April 2020) is available on the website of ILO.

In  order to mitigate the impact of the  COVID-19 pandemic on  India's  workforce,  various  initiatives  have  been  taken  by  the Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment  as  part  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Garib Kalyan  Yojana  (PMGKY)  and  Atmanirbhar  Bharat  which,  inter-alia, include-

- (i) payment  of  12%  employers'  share  and  12%  employees'  share under Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), totalling 24% by the Government of India for six wage months from March to August, 2020 for  all  the  establishments   having  up  to  100  employees  with  90%  of such employees earning less than Rs.15,000 monthly wage;

- (ii) reduction in Provident Fund (PF) contribution from 12% to 10% of wages for the wage months of May, June and July, 2020;
- (iii) non-refundable COVID advance from the PF by amending the EPF Scheme, 1952; till date, about Rs 39,000 crore have been withdrawn by members of EPFO.
- (iv)
- extension in the date of filing of returns;
- (v) issuing advisory to promptly attend to distress calls of workers /employees and also guide them in temporary shelters;
- (vi) using  Building  and  Other  Construction  Workers  (BOCW)  cess fund  for    transfer  of  around  Rs.  5000  crore  in  the  bank  accounts  of around 1.83 crore construction workers affected by COVID-19 outbreak; and
- (vii) Advising employers not to terminate workers and not to cut their wages;
- (viii) The unemployment benefit under the Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana being implemented by the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) under Ministry of Labour & Employment has been enhanced to 50% from 25% of the average earning, payable for upto 90 days, along with relaxation of eligibility conditions for insured workers who have lost employment due to COVID-19 pandemic. The enhanced benefit is applicable from 24 th  March 2020 to 31 st  December 2020.

Government has taken initiatives for creating jobs at local levels  and  supporting  migrant  workers  through  Atmanirbhar  Bharat and the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan. Atmanirbhar Bharat is based on Economy, Infrastructure, System, Vibrant Demography and Demand to create jobs for the youth.  The Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan involves intensified and focussed implementation of 25 target driven works to provide employment and create infrastructure in the rural areas of 116 districts of 6 states with a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crore to be implemented in a mission mode campaign in 125 days.

Government  has  also  launched  PM  SVANidhi  Scheme  to facilitate collateral free working capital loan of upto Rs. 10,000 of one year tenure, to approximately 50 lakh street vendors, to resume their businesses.  Reserve  Bank  of  India  and  the  Government  have  also introduced  various  measures  to  infuse  liquidity  in  the  economy  to sustain the market economy and to raise the level of employment.

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