Lok Sabha Question No. 2212 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-08
Subject: Assessment of Loss of Jobs during Pandemic
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Arvind Ganpat Sawant

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2212

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.03.2021

## ASSESSMENT OF LOSS OF JOBS DURING PANDEMIC

2212. SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT:

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

- (a)whether  the  Government  is  assessing  the  companies  which  have used covid-19 as justification to slash jobs;
- (b)if  so,  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  against  companies following these practices;
- (c)whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  introduce  job  retention policy to prevent job losses; and
- (d)if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): The Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic followed by nationwide lockdown has affected economies across the globe including  India.  Government  has  taken  several  initiatives  to  address the challenges and threats posed by Covid-19.

The organization of Chief Labour Commissioner(C), Ministry of  Labour  &  Employment  has  received  a  number  of  complaints regarding  termination  of  employment  of  workers  of  the  industrial establishment  falling in the Central Sphere  during the Covid-19 pandemic  period.    Action  was  initiated  as  per  the  provisions  under Industrial Dispute Act 1947 and other relevant labour laws to resolve such  disputes.  Besides,  to  deal  with  complaints/distress  calls  of workers in Central sphere, 20 region  wise  control  rooms  across   the Contd..2/-

country  were  set  up  under  the  supervision  of  the  Chief  Labour Commissioner(C). Government of India has taken a number of initiatives for promoting employment  generation in the country. Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY) Scheme is being implemented  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.

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), totalling 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.

Further,  more  than  Rupees  twenty  seven  lakh  crore  of financial  package  under  'Aatm  Nirbhar  Bharat  Yojna'  has  been launched specifically to create employment opportunities for migrant workers;  workers  for  unorganised  sector;  strengthening  of  MSME Sector; and promoting rural economy. It includes plethora of initiatives for all these sectors.

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