Lok Sabha Question No. 203 (STARRED), answered on 2019-07-08
Subject: Labour Laws
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Parvesh Sahib Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 203 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.07.2019

## LABOUR LAWS

*203. SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH:

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

- (a)whether the existing labour laws in India are putting onerous burden on growing business firms in India and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)whether  the  Government  has  identified  any  existing  labour  laws  that need to be repealed and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c)whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  bring/extend  social  safety  net covering unemployment (minimum income), universal healthcare and old age  pension  for  all  workers  in  the  unorganised  as  well  as  organised sectors in India and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT RERERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.203  FOR  08.07.2019  BY  SHRI  PARVESH  SAHIB SINGH REGARDING LABOUR LAWS

- (a) & (b): It  is  pertinent  to  mention  that  we  need  to  make  our  existing Central Labour  Acts  in sync  with  the  changing  economic  scenario, technological  advancement  and  emerging  need  for  wage  security,  social security and better working conditions of our workers. Out of the existing Central Labour Acts, about 17 are more than 50 years old and a few of them are even 70 years old.  Accordingly, in line with the recommendations of the Second National Commission on Labour, the Ministry has taken steps for  drafting  four  Labour  Codes  i.e.  The  Code  on  Wages;  The  Code  on Industrial  Relations,  The  Code  on  Occupational  Safety,  Health  &  Working Conditions & The Code on Social Security by simplifying, amalgamating and rationalizing  the  relevant  provisions  of  the  existing  Central  Labour  Laws. The Codes have been drafted after exhaustive consultation with representatives of trade unions, employers' associations and State Governments.  Besides, the drafts were also placed on the website of the Ministry  to  seek  the  comments  of  all  the  stakeholders  including  general public.    The  Central  Labour  Acts  which  have  been  subsumed  in  the proposed Labour Codes will be repealed on their enactment.    Out of the four  Labour  Codes,  The  Code  on  Wages  has  been  approved  by  the  Union Cabinet and the remaining three Codes are at different stages of formulation i.e., drafting, tripartite consultation inter-ministerial consultation etc.
- (c): The  Labour  Codes  address  issues  relating  to  wage  security, social  security,  safety,  health,  working  conditions,  welfare,  dispute  and grievance  redressal  mechanism  for  workers.    Besides,  the  framing  of Labour  Codes,  the  Government  has  recently  taken  several  significant initiatives including rolling out of Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan, a pension  scheme  for  unorganized  sector  workers  and  2  others  pension schemes have been approved for shopkeepers/retail traders and farmers. For health care, Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPMJAY) provides health coverage up to Rs. 5.00 lakh per family per annum to around 10.74 crore poor, deprived families based on the Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.

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