Unorganised Workers bill coming in Budget session- Fernandes

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, Apr 25 (UNI) The UPA government will bring in legislation to provide social security to over 370 million workers in the unorganised sector in the second phase of the Budget session of Parliament beginning tomorrow.

''We will introduce the Unorganised workers Bill, 2006 in this very session,'' Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes told mediapersons.

At the first formal press meet in the national capital, Mr Fernandes, while reiterating the goverment's commitment to defend the interests of the unofficial labour force, said the issue had been pending for the past 25 to 30 years.

Mr Fernandes denied the allegations of the trade unions that the government was not sincere to improve the plight of workers, while stressing that ''even today we have a meeting of the Group of Ministers (GOM) headed by Finance Minister P Chidambaram to finalise the modalities of the proposed Bill.'' The Miinister who fielded several questions pertaining to labour laws, child labour, FDI in Pension Fund among others, also spelt out the agenda of the two day Indian Labour Conference beginning on April 27 and 28. He, however remained non-commital on the rate of interest on EPF for 2006-07 and 2007-08 saying this came in the perview of the Board of Trustees of the EPF Board.

''We hope that a meeting of the Board will take place before May 15 to take a final decision on the matter.'' Replying to a specific query on how the proposed move to streamline the functioning of his ministry which is percieved as the ''pro-industry and pro-corporate department'' and protecting the interests of the workers, the minister cited several instances including that of the Jute industry through tripartite talks. More UNI

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