New Delhi: Signalling that the government would go for further easing of lockdown and opening the economy, the Ministry of Labour and Employment on Wednesday said that focus now should be on reviving the industry in order to keep current jobs and create more.
Discussing labour related issues during a webinar with leaders of various trade unions, Labour Secretary Heeralal Samariya requested the representatives to instill confidence among the workers to resume work wherever possible.
The appeal to resume work and restart the economy came even as union leaders of Central Trade Union Organizations (CTUOs) insisted for providing more trains to transport the migrant workers stranded in various parts of the country.
As per an official statement, trade leaders raised issues related to protection of the interest of workers, employment generation and full payment of wages and salaries to workers during the lockdown period.
Minister of State for Labour and Employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar attended the virtual meeting. The Minister asked the CTUOs to suggest measures that could be taken to deal with the present situation of the workers and improve their welfare.
The union leaders proposed to create a National Register for migrant and unorganized workers with the facilities of portability and data transfer to help the migrant labour in getting employment and other assistance. Supporting the issues raised by MSMEs, they suggested measures like interest waiver, loan recast and subsidized electricity for these firms especially micro and tiny industries.
The unions demanded strict implementation of the labour laws and advisories issued by Ministry of Labour so that workers get full payment during the lockdown.
The Ministry would hold a separate webinar for employers and industry representatives on May 8 to seek their feedback on opening the economy and also discuss the issues raised by workers’ group.
Even as Centre advised and subsequently issued an order to not lay off workers and pay full salaries, a large number of firms are learnt to have gone for retrenchment.
As per data company and think tank Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), the unemployment rate shot up to 27.1 per cent in the week ended May 3.
“This is the highest unemployment rate so far. It seems to have risen because of a surge in the labour participation rate from 35.4 per cent in the week of April 21 to 36.2 per cent in the week ended May 3,” CMIE Managing Director and CEO Mahesh Vyas wrote on May 8.