CITU urges Govt to set up statutory board

New Delhi, May 24 (UNI) The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) today urged the Government to set up statutory board at Centre as well as at state level backed by a focused enforcement oriented legislation for 'suo moto' identification of contracts employing contract labour and for stringent enforcement of Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970.

CITU, the labour outfit of CPI(M) in a statement issued here, has said that even the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report which was laid in the Parliament on May 17 has mentioned about weak enforcement of Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970 because of inadequate number of inspections, check inspections, re-inspections vis-a-vis the number of registered establishment and contractors.

The CAG has categorically recommended that a mechanism should be established for suo moto identification of establishments/contractors employing contract labour to enable identification of violation and corrective action as envisaged in the Contract Labour (Regulation and abolition) Act, 1970.

The use of inspection as a tool for enforcing the emplementation of Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 should be strengthed by setting/revisiting norms for inspection, conducting check inspection and follow-up inspections.

It appears, frequent derisive reference to 'inspector raj' by those who yield power has led to such a precarious situation that even CAG has to come out with recommendations to revisit and restrengthen the inspection process.

In view of the UPA Government's commitment to welfare and well being of all workers particularly those in unorganised sector as per National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) the government should consider the suggestions and recommendations of the CAG in this report for the betterment of the work force in the country, the statement added.

UNI