46th Indian Labour Conference gets Underway - Prime Minister Calls for efforts to modify Laws through Consensus

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Labour & Employment

20-July-2015 17:32 IST

46^th  Indian Labour Conference gets Underway

Prime Minister Calls for efforts to modify Laws through Consensus

            The Prime minister has called for tripartite cooperation and for making every effort to modify laws through consensus. The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi was inaugurating the 46^th Indian Labour Conference (ILC) here today. The Prime Minister dedicated National Career Service (NCS) Portal and launched ESIC 2.0: Reform Initiatives of ESIC, on the occasion. Addressing the inaugural session, Shri Narendra Modi stressed the need for developing family bond like relations between employee and employer. He said this will not only strengthen economy of the country but will also ensure wellbeing of both entrepreneurs and workers. Calling ILC as Labour Parliament of India, the PM said that India has experience of about 75 years relating to tripartite consultations and has taken several steps towards change through consultation and consensus.  Change is a symptom of a vibrant system, he added. The PM said the line dividing the welfare of an industry and an industrialist; the welfare of the nation and the government and the welfare of labourers and trade unions is very delicate and needs to be treaded carefully. He suggested industrialists to contribute to Skill India by providing on job training to youth and promoting innovation and innovator. It is essential for Indian society to develop a consciousness towards "dignity of labour “, the Prime Minister said."

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Arun Jaitley, the Union Minister of Finance and  the Guest of Honour said  India need to seize the opportunity  arising out of  prevailing global economic scenario. Earlier in his welcome address Shri Bandaru Dattatraya, the MoS(IC) L&E said that this conference is the right forum to underline the importance of labour in formulating framework of National Policy protecting the rights of workers. He informed the conference of various important initiatives implemented during the past one year.

The Indian Labour Conference (ILC) is the apex level tripartite consultative committee in the Ministry of Labour & Employment to advise the Government on the issues concerning working class of the country. All the 12 Central Trade Union Organisations, Central Organisations of employers, all State Governments and Union Territories and Central Ministries/Departments concerned with the agenda items, are the members of the ILC. 

         Parity in number of representatives is maintained between the Employers’ and Workers’ Groups by allocation of equal number of seats to each Group. As recommended by the National Labour Conference held in September 17-18, 1982, only Trade Union Organisations, which have, a membership of more than five lakhs spread over four States and four industries are given representation in the ILC. The Central Trade Union Organisations represented in ILC include – 1) Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, 2) Indian National Trade Union Congress, 3) All India Trade Union Congress, 4) Hind Mazdoor Sabha, 5) Centre of Indian Trade Unions, 6) All India United Trade Union Centre, 7) Trade Union Coordination Centre, 8) Self Employed Women’s Association,9) All India Central Council of Trade Union, 10) Labour Progressive Federation, 11) United Trades Union Congress, 12) National Front of Indian Trade Unions (Dhanbad).  The Employers Organisations represented in ILC include, Council of Indian Employers {(Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE), Employers’ Federation of India (EFI)& All India Organisation of Employers (AIOE)}, All India Manufacturers’ Organization (AIMO), Laghu Udyog Bharati (LUB), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI)& The Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).  The Government seats are determined so as to give representation to various Central Ministries, State Governments and Union Territories

         As a matter of practice, and to maintain continuous dialogue with social partners, meetings of this apex body are convened once in a year to discuss the topical issues concerning labour. 

         The first meeting of the Indian Labour Conference (then called Tripartite National Labour Conference) was held in 1942 and so far a total of 45 Sessions have been held.   The 45^th Session of Indian Labour Conference was held on 17–18 May, 2013.  

         The Standing Labour Committee (SLC), a tripartite body  in it’s 47^th Session  on 10^th July, 2015 here after detailed deliberations finalized following five agenda items for discussion in this Conference:

Sl. No.	Agenda Item
1.	Implementation of the conclusions/ recommendations of the 43rd, 44th and 45th Indian Labour Conference, particularly on Contract Labour, Minimum Wages and Scheme Workers and Tripartite Mechanism
2.	Social Security for workers in Organized Sector, Unorganized Sector and International Migrant workers
3.	Amendment of Bonus Act – Removal of conditions on payment ceiling, eligibility limits, decisions to pay minimum bonus without linking to loss when the performance indicator satisfy grant of bonus
4.	Labour Laws amendments proposed/done either by the Central or State Governments
5.	Employment and Employment Generation

         The Ministry of Labour and Employment is implementing the National Career Service (NCS) Project by transforming the processes in the network of Employment Exchanges. The existing system of Employment Services follows ILO Convention 88 which mandates the Government to maintain a free Employment Service. The NCS project envisages setting up of Model Career Centres (MCCs) in order to efficiently connect the youth with job opportunities with the help of technology and assisted by guidance. The Career Centres, supported by a national portal and a knowledge-rich career content repository, would demonstrate the efficacy of good employment services in terms of local demand supply assessment, career counselling, job matching etc. The Career Centres would focus on career education through career counselling.

         The Health Reform Agenda is a comprehensive agenda package meant to transform the Public Service Delivery System in ESIC through effective use of Information and Communication Technology. The agenda comprises many transformative initiatives. Electronic Health Records will be created which can be seen by the I.P. and his family online. The records will also include Laboratory Report in digital format and there will be no need to visit hospital for getting this information. In another initiative for quick service delivery the 24/7 Medical Helpline will be created and Doctors will be available to the I.P. directly. This Helpline will be toll-free and will also be available in regional languages. In a unique initiative under Swatch Bhart – Swasth Bharat Campaign of the Prime Minister, ESIC is going to take up a cleanliness drive across all the hospitals in the country through colour coding of bed sheets in the patient wards. This Operation Indradhanush will ensure the mandatory health and hygiene in ESIC hospitals across the country through a very simple and effective manner.

         After the inaugural Session and general discussion, the Conference will split into the five committees to have detailed deliberation on each of the five items of the agenda of the Conference. Each Conference Committee will meet separately to discuss the subject matter assigned to it in detail and present the conclusions arrived at therein for adoption in the Concluding Session of the Conference.

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