Lok Sabha Question No. 5230 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-04-04
Subject: Surplus Labour Force
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: N.K. Premachandran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5230 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.04.2022

## SURPLUS LABOUR FORCE

## 5230. SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

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

- (a)whether the Government has taken steps/ proposes to address the issues of labour in India and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)whether the Government proposes to use surplus labour force available in different  regions  and  if  so,  the  details  of  the  action  taken  by  the Government in this regard;
- (c)whether the Government proposes for labour reforms and if so, the details of the action taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (d)whether the Government also proposes to start separate recruitment for absorption of skilled labour in various Public Undertakings and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

- (a): Yes, Sir. The Government is committed to address the issues of labour work force in India, protect and safeguard the interest of the workers with due regard to create a healthy work environment for higher production and productivity.  The  Government  has  enacted  several  labour  laws  to  provide social security, to create healthy working conditions, to ensure occupational safety and minimum wages for the workers.
- (b): Migration of surplus labour force from one place to another place is a continuous process and migrant workers keep moving in search of better livelihood options.  Such workforce also keeps shifting from one sector  to  another  depending  upon  the  opportunities  (such  as  better wages,  duration  and  continuity  of  work).  In  order  to  safeguard  the interest of the migrant workers, the Central Government had enacted the Inter-State    Migrant   Workmen   (Regulation of   Employment  and

Conditions  of  Services)  Act,  1979  which,  inter  alia,  provides  for payment of minimum wages, journey allowance, displacement allowance, residential accommodation, medical facilities and protective  clothing.  However,  the      Inter-State  Migrant  Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services) Act, 1979 has now been subsumed in the Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions, 2020.

- (c): The  Government  has  notified  four  Labour  Codes,  namely  the Code on Wages, 2019; the Industrial Relation Code 2020; the Code on Social Security 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020 after simplification, amalgamation and rationalization of 29 Central labour Laws,  with an objective to strengthen the protection available to workers, including unorganised workers, in terms of statutory minimum  wage, social security protection and healthcare of workers.
- (d): Recruitment to fill up the vacancies in Public Sector Undertaking is an on going process and is done in accordance with the relevant Recruitment Rules and guidelines issued by particular PSUs from time to time.

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