Anguished over the Cabinet referring the Social Security Bill to a GoMs, members of a tripartite labour committee demanded that a legislation to provide social security to the unorganised sector be passed at the earliest.
The amendments in the Unorganised Sector Workers' Social Security Bill 2007, approved by the Union Cabinet, seek to facilitate formulation of social security schemes for unorganised workers, Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi told reporters in New Delhi. He said efforts will be made to ensure passage of the Bill, pending in the Rajya Sabha, during the next session of Parliament.
In the latest draft of the Code on Social Security Bill, 2019, the government has decided to stick to the current thresholds for providing social security benefits to workers by industry.
The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the Unorganized Sector Workers' Social Security Bill, 2008, incorporating one of the key recommendations of the paliamentary standing committee -- making social security a legislated right.
The four Left parties that support the United Progressive Alliance government have already rejected the Bill, which has been approved by the Cabinet. Instead, they have asked for separate Bills for agricultural and non-agricultural workers.
Small but significant labour reform laws are expected to be introduced in 2008, to benefit both the employees and employers.
At least seven Bills initiated by the labour ministry are awaiting Parliament's nod, but just one - the Unorganised Sector Workers Social Security Bill - has been listed for the House session beginning on Wednesday.
Union Labour Ministry has announced pension scheme for unorganised labour hands like mine and cine workers.
CPI-M- MP from Serampore, West Bengal, Santasri Chatterjee said the government should understand that the Unorganised Workers' Social Security Bill in its present form would not be able to fulfil the aspirations of the workers in the sector. BJP MP Satyanarayan Jatiya said 94 per cent of the workforce falls under the unorganised sector and there was a need to set up a mechanism to look into their specific needs.
It is to be funded through a Rs 2400 crore (Rs 24 billion) corpus that has accrued to the Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment from public sector banks.
According to draft Code on Social Security, 2019, gig and platform workers will be entitled to life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, among others.
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