Left party members in Rajya Sabha were on their feet on Thursday demanding an assurance from the government that permanent jobs would not be brought under contract.
Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Labour Minister Sahib Singh Verma said a Group of Ministers is going into the entire gamut of the contract labour regulations.
In the wake of economic liberalisation, the government has undertaken a review of the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970, he said adding changes or any revision to be made in the act have not yet been finalised.
It would be premature to say anything about the nature of the amendments to be effected in this act, Verma said.
In reply to queries from Left members, the minister said the GoM members are in favour of contract labour in areas such as cleaning, sweeping, security, horticulture and other perennial activities in non-core areas.
This did not satisfy the Left members and they demanded a categorical reply from the minister on whether permanent jobs would be converted to contract jobs.
"Is the GoM considering this issue," CPI-M member Jibon Roy asked.
The minister said the government was awaiting recommendations of the GoM.
