Lok Sabha Question No. 2211 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-08
Subject: Employment to Jobless People
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Malook Nagar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2211 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08 TH  MARCH, 2021

## EMPLOYMENT TO JOBLESS PEOPLE

## 2211. SHRI MALOOK NAGAR:

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

- (a) whether the Government is planning to provide employment to people working in companies, factories, industries, malls, shops and media personnel who lost their jobs at the time of Corona pandemic and Worldwide lockdown and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has any plans to bring new law for their safety and provide any kind of financial assistance;
- (c) whether the Government has framed any law for such employees and labourers who have not got their full salary so far; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, whether the Government is formulating any policy in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d) :  Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY) Scheme has been launched by the Government to incentivize creation of new employment along with social security benefits  and  restoration  of  loss  of  employment  during  COVID-19  pandemic.  This scheme  being  implemented  through  the  Employees  Provident  Fund  Organisation (EPFO),  reduces the financial burden of the employers of various sectors/industries including  MSMEs  and  encourages  them  to  hire more  workers.  Under  ABRY, Government of India is crediting  for a period of two years, both the employees' share (12% of wages) and employers' share (12% of wages) of contribution payable or only the  employees'  share,  depending  on  employment  strength  of  the  EPFO  registered establishments.

The Government is providing fiscal stimulus of more than rupees twenty seven lakh  crore  as  part  of  the  Aatmanirbhar  financial  Package  specifically  to  create employment  opportunities  for  migrant  workers,  workers  for  unorganised  sector, strengthening of MSME Sector and promoting rural economy.

To boost employment  and livelihood opportunities for migrant workers returning  to  villages,  in  the  wake  of  COVID-19  outbreak,  Government  of  India  has launched Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan (GKRA) on 20th June 2020 for six states.

PM-SVANidhi  Scheme  facilitates  collateral  free  working  capital  loan  upto Rs.10,000/- for one-year tenure to street vendors, to resume their businesses.

Under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), Government of India has contributed both 12% employer's share and 12% employee's share under Employees Provident Fund (EPF), totaling 24% of the wage for the wage month from March to August, 2020 for  the establishments having upto 100 employees with 90% of such employees earning less than Rs. 15000/-. Under the PMGKY scheme Rs 2567.66 crore was credited in EPF accounts of 38.82 lakhs eligible employees.

ESIC provides relief to the insured persons(IP) in contingency of unemployment under Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana under which cash relief is paid for a period of maximum 90 days, provided the IP was in insurable employment for at least two years before being unemployed. The scheme which was initially implemented on a pilot basis for a period of two years, came into force on 01.07.2018.

ESI  Corporation  has  extended  this  scheme  for  another  one-year  i.e.  from 01.07.2020 to 30.06.2021, with enhanced quantum of relief  from 25 % to 50% of the average daily earning and relaxation of eligibility conditions for the Insured Persons who became unemployed from 24.03.2020 onwards.

The Government has notified four Labour Codes; namely, the Code on Wages, 2019, the Industrial Relations Codes, 2020, the Codes on Social Security, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. Codification of the  Labour  Laws  will  inter  alia,  reduce  multiplicity  of  definitions  &  authorities, facilitate  implementation  &  use  of  technology  in  enforcement  of  labour  laws  and bring transparency & accountability in enforcement which would promote setting up of more enterprises, thus catalysing the creation of employment opportunities in the country.  It would also promote setting up of industries by reducing rigidity of labour market and facilitate hassle free compliance.

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