New Delhi 10 February 2022: Reforms in labour laws is a continuous process, therefore, Central Government and State Governments strive on regular basis to update the legislative system to address the need of the hour as per the emerging economic and industrial 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 (OSH Code); after simplification, amalgamation and rationalization of 29 Central Labour Laws; will inter alia strengthen the protection available to labourers, including unorganized workers, in terms of statutory minimum wage, social security protection and healthcare of workers.
The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 has been subsumed in the OSH Code, 2020 and the following reforms have been carried out under it:-
- Provision of online licensing for contractors with the validity of 5 years.
- Provision of common license and deemed approval of licensing.
- Provision of experience certificate, on-demand, by Contractor to Contract Labour and provision for issuance of letter of appointment to contract labour will promote formalization of employment.
- Definition of ‘core activity of an establishment’ has been introduced. Further, employment of contract labour in core activities of any establishment is prohibited except in certain circumstances.
- Various welfare facilities shall be provided by the principal employer of the establishment to the contract labour which would create healthy, safe and secure working conditions.
This Ministry maintains the consolidated records/data of contractual labourers/workers /employees, based on the licences and registration certificate issued under the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 in the central sphere. No such bifurcated data like Ministry and State-wise of contractual labourers/workers/employees are maintained centrally. Based on the licences and registration certificate issued under the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 in the central sphere, the ratio of male and female employees on a contract basis is 6:1 (approx).
This information was given by Shri Rameswar Teli, Minister of State, Ministry of Labour and Employment, in Rajya Sabha today.
Anupreet Kaur
