Over 50 crore workers to benefit from labour reform bills: Santosh Gangwar

Union Minister for Labour and Employment Santosh Gangwar said that the three labour reform bills will prove to be a Game Changer.

Lok Sabha passed the three bills yesterday namely, The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, The Industrial Relations Code, 2020, and The Code On Social Security, 2020.

In his reply in Lok Sabha after the debate over the bills, Mr. Gangwar said these legislations will usher in labour welfare reforms for over 50 crore workers in the country. The minister asserted that in the last 6 years, many multi-stakeholders consultations were held including with the Trade unions, Employers, State Governments and experts of labour sector. He said, there viewpoints were considered and amalgamated into the provisions of the new labour codes.

While replying to the issues raised by the Members of Lok Sabha, Mr. Gangwar said that 29 labour laws have been subsumed in the simplified, easy to understand and transparent 4 labour codes. Out of the 4 labour codes, Code on Wages has already been passed by the Parliament in 2019.

Under the Social Security Code, 2020, effort has been made to provide right to health security under ESIC to maximum possible workers and also to extend the reach of EPFO. Under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 , free health checkup facility and legal right for getting Appointment Letters has been extended to the workers in the country for the first time.

The Industrial Relations Code, 2020 envisages quick dispute resolving mechanism for workers. It also grants the option of Fixed Term Employment making the workers eligible for the benefits of salary, social security and other welfare benefits at par with a Regular Employee. The labour codes also permit women to work in every sector during night hours upon their consent. He pointed out that these path breaking reforms in the country will attract Foreign as well as domestic investment from the entrepreneurs and will put an end to ‘inspector raj’. (AIR)

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