Lok Sabha Question No. 911 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-12
Subject: Reform Labour Laws/Contract Labour Act
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Girish Chandra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 911 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2022

## REFORM LABOUR LAWS/CONTRACT LABOUR ACT

## 911.  SHRI GIRISH CHANDRA:

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

- (a)the number of employees in the organized sector and unorganized sector;
- (b)whether  the  Government  has  said  that  high  level  of  unorganized
- employment is due to rigid labour laws;
- (c)if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken/proposed to be taken  by  the  Government  to  reform  labour  laws  including  the Contract Labour Act;
- (d)the current labour and contract workers and their growth during the last three years and the current year; and
- (e)the steps taken or likely to be taken by the Government to prevent exploitation of contract workers by the employers?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): Based  on  the  PLFS  reports,  Economic  Survey  2021-22, estimated the employment on usual status in organized and unorganized sector. The detailed employment data is Annexed.
- (b) & (c): Reforms in labour laws are a continuous process, therefore, Central Government and State Governments strive on regular basis to update  the  legislative  system  to  address  the  need  as  per  emerging economic  scenario  of  the  country.  The  enactment  of  four  Labour Codes,  namely,  the  Code  on  Wages,  2019;  the  Industrial  Relations Code, 2020; the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020; inter-alia, aims at making  the  Labour Laws  flexible  and  enhancing  the  efficiency   in

output and growth. The Codes have been formulated after simplification, amalgamation and rationalization of the relevant provisions  of  the  existing  29  Central  Labour  Laws,  which  would strengthen the protection available to labourers, including unorganized workers, in terms of statutory minimum wage, social security protection  and  healthcare  of  workers.    The  Occupational  Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (OSH Code, 2020), subsumes  13  Central  Labour  Laws  including  the  Contract  Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970.

## (d): The  number  of  contract  labourers  engaged  in  Public  and Private sectors in the central sphere are as under:

| Year    |   CPSUs |   Private Sector |
|---------|---------|------------------|
| 2019-20 | 1261672 |           520850 |
| 2020-21 | 1448032 |           675570 |
| 2021-22 | 1329715 |           740308 |

Sector-wise  data  or  share  of  contractual  workers  in  total employment is not maintained centrally.

- (e): In order to prevent exploitation of labour including contract workers/labourers, various labour laws are enforced by Central Industrial Relations Machinery (CIRM) having country-wide network of Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) under the control of the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central). The Labour Laws and the rules there  under  provide  for  various  penal  provisions  depending  upon  the nature of contravention/violations/exploitation and the same  are implemented. If discrimination and exploitation as covered under any provision of labour Laws and violations of such provisions are found, appropriate action is taken by the officers of CIRM in central sphere establishments.

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Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (a)  of  the  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.  911  for 12.12.2022  raised  by  Shri  Girish  Chandra  regarding  'Reform  Labour  Laws/Contract  Labour Act'.

| Years   | Organized Sector   | Organized Sector   | Unorganized Sector   | Unorganized Sector   | Total number (in crores)   |
|---------|--------------------|--------------------|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------------|
|         | in crores          | %share             | In crores            | %share               |                            |
| 2017-18 | 9.1                | 19.2               | 38.1                 | 80.8                 | 47.2                       |
| 2018-19 | 9.5                | 19.4               | 39.3                 | 80.6                 | 48.8                       |
| 2019-20 | 9.6                | 17.8               | 44.0                 | 82.2                 | 53.6                       |

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