Lok Sabha Question No. 2159 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-09
Subject: Improving of Wages and working conditions for Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Dharambir Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2159 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.12.2024

IMPROVING OF WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS FOR WORKERS 2159. SHRI DHARAMBIR SINGH:

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

- (a)the details of new programmes being introduced by the Government to improve wages and working conditions for agricultural and construction workers across all States and Union Territories specially Haryana State;
- (b)the details of measures proposed by the Government to address Union Territories, particularly among women and youth and the specific
- the high unemployment rate across all States and steps being taken for Bhiwani-Mahendergarh in Haryana State;
- (c)whether  the  Government  plans  to  implement  worker  protection laws specifically for the informal sector across all States and Union Territories, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d)whether the Government proposes to set up employment exchanges  and  skill  development  centers  across  all  States  and Union  Territories  to  connect  local  workers  with  suitable  job opportunities, if so, the details of timeline for implementation?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a) to (d): Under the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act 1948, the Central Government and the State Governments, are appropriate  Governments,  to  fix,  review  and  revise  the  minimum wages of the workers employed in the Scheduled employments under their  respective  jurisdiction.  Accordingly,  the  minimum  rates  of wages  in  the  scheduled  employments  (including  agriculture,  and construction)  in  the  Central  sphere  were  revised  by  the  Central Government in 2017. Further, in order to take care of the rising prices, the  Central  Government  revises  the  Variable  Dearness  Allowance (V.D.A) on basic rates of minimum wages every six months, effective from 1st April and 1st October of every year on the basis of Consumer Price Index for Industrial workers.

The  Unorganised  Workers'  Social  Security  Act  (UWSS), welfare  schemes  for unorganised workers   on  matters relating to  life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits,    old age protection etc. by the Central

2008  provides for, inter-alia, formulating Government.

The official data source on Employment and Unemployment  is  Periodic  Labour  Force  Survey  (PLFS)  which  is conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) since 2017-18. The survey period is July to June  every  year.  As  per  the  data  available  in  latest  Annual  PLFS Reports, the estimated Unemployment Rate (UR) on usual status for youth of age 15-29 years decreased from 17.8% in 2017-18 to 10.2% in 2023-24, and for women (15 years and above) decreased from 5.6% in 2017-18 to 3.2% in 2023-24.

Employment generation coupled with improving employability is a priority  of  Government  and  Government  is implementing various employment generation schemes/ programmes for all including for youth and women. The details of this programme may be seen at  https://dge.gov.in/schemes\_programmes.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, is implementing the National Career Service (NSC) project to provide a variety of employment related services like job search & matching,  career  counselling,  vocational  guidance,  information  on platform [www.ncs.gov.in]. NSC is envisaged as a one-stop solution for career related services including jobs from private and government sector, information on online and offline job fairs, skill/ training programmes skill development courses etc. through a digital etc.

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