'Social security to unorganised workers deception'

New Delhi, May 27: Strongly criticising the UPA government's decision to constitute a National Advisory Board to design welfare schemes for unorganised workers, a consortium of NGOs and social activists has threatened to launch a mass movement demanding a comprehensive legislation providing social security as fundamental right to poor people working in unorganised sector of the country.

'Social Security-Now', a consortium of more than 500 civil society organisations, peoples groups and a group of trade unions of unorganised workers, has expressed its dismay and anger over the Cabinet's giving its approval to the constitution of the Board for designing, from time to time, suitable welfare programmes for different sections of the unorganised workers and recommend the same to the Government.

Terming the decision 'deception' to more than 40 crore unorganised sector workers and their families, the Consortium said, ''The UPA government has downgraded the status of the Board, downgraded social security to arbitrary welfare schemes and maintained a studied silence on crucial issues like tri-partite character of the Board, coverage, funding mechanisms and a time frame for implementation.'' Pointing out that the cabinet decision meant that the welfare schemes for workers in the unorganised sector will be introduced in a phased manner, it said that it was travesty of justice' as the country would become an economic super power on the sweat and labour of these unorganised sector workers.

In league with the Central Trade Unions in India, 'Social Security-Now' had called for a comprehensive social security bill incorporating employment regulation, livelihood protection and dispute resolution based on the principle of social justice. It had specifically demanded that the bill should affirm the rights of unorganised workers, in particular, rights of women, Dalits, tribal and other marginalised workers, and their representation in the social security boards and their administration.

It also demanded that considering the significant contribution of the working poor in building the economic edifice of the country, government should earmark at least 5 per cent of GDP to the social security needs of the unorganised workers. Significantly, it also called for the constitution of Unorganised Worker Boards at the Central and State spheres as statutory body by a legislative enactment.

Charging the government with making mockery of all representative and democratic processes, 'Social Security-Now' and all its constituents strongly opposed and rejected the ''ill-considered'' move of UPA government. They have expressed their intention to intensify mobilisation for a comprehensive legislation for the social security of the unorganised workers from the perspective of social and economic justice and fundamental right as citizens of the nation.

As per the cabinet decision, on the recommendation of the National the Advisory Board the Government will notify the welfare schemes.

At the state-level, an advisory board will be constituted by the state governments.

Apart from designing model schemes, the National Advisory Board will monitor the implementation of all notified schemes, ensure that every unorganised worker above the age of 18 was registered and recieved an identity card, and also oversee the record keeping function performed at the district and state level.

The record keeping agency for the identity cards will be the district administration. However, the State Government will direct that the record keeping function is performed by the district panchayat in rural areas and urban local bodies in urban areas.

The registered unorganised worker will be eligible for life and disability cover, health benefits, old age protection or any other benefit decided by the Centre.

UNI