PM Modi pitches for flexible working hours at work places, move aimed at empowering women
Ravi S Singh
New Delhi, August 25
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday pitched for “flexi” (read flexible) working hours at workplaces to enable maximum participation of women in the country’s job market.
Addressing a two-day National Conference of States’ Labour Minister in Tirupati organised by Union Labour Ministry, Modi said women arecontributing in a big way in helping India to emerge as fast developing economy.
He pitched for women empowerment, and noted that their service must be harnessed in the country catapult to greater heights.
He was equally appreciation of the workers of the country for playing the role as one of the spearheadof the fast development of the economy. They are playing a stellar role in the country’s emerging as the fastest developing economy in the world.
He said the Centre and the States will have to work together to realisefor the welfare and potential of the workers.
Modi lauded the contribution of unorganized workers, and assured that the government is cognizant about them.
“The government is taking steps for the welfare of unorganized workers,” Modi, and, in this context he referred to creation of the Union Labour Ministry’s e-Shram portal for the unorganized workers.
He noted that in a short span of time, 28 crore workers have registered themselves. The number is still counting.
According to one estimatethe number of workers in the unorganized sector could be about 38 crore.
The e-Shram portal is the platform to collect data of the workers in the unorganised sector, who form the bulk of the country’s labour force. The data will help the Centre and the State governments to prepare welfare policies and kindred issues. In effect, their presence will be on the map.
He emphasized for the emergence of the severalportals for effective and holistic comprehension of workers and their problems by Central and State governments.
He noted that the benevolentmeasures ofEPFO (Employees Provident Fund Organisation) during the distress days of Covidpandemic provided succour to workers.
Modi said that in the interest of the workers and the country’s economy, the government was doing away with antiquated laws, which were seeped in colonial mindset.
Inthis context, Modi said the 29 labour laws of the colonial erahave been rationalised and simplified into four Labour Codes so that the legal framework chimes with the changing times.
“The country has missed the opportunities presented by the first, second and the third industrial revolutions. Itcannot afford to let go the opportunity profferedby the fourth revolution,” Modi said, and added that the world is changing at a fast clip, and the country must keep itself abreast of the developments.
The Conference is being organized to create a synergy amongst the Centre and State Governments to formulate better policies and to ensure effective implementation of schemes for the welfare of labour.
The Conference will have four thematic Sessions:
– Integrating eShram portal for onboarding social security schemes run by Central Government and State Governments to universalize social protection to workers and to improve employment opportunities for all.
-“Swasthya se Samridhi”: Improving medical care and services through ESI hospitals run by State Governments and integration with PMJAY.
– Framing of rules under four Labour Codes and modalities for implementation along with development of Portals for licensing, registration, returns, inspections etc.
-“Vision Shramev Jayate @2047”
