Government takes several steps on Labour Day for unorganised sector workers

New Delhi, May 1 : Labour and Employment Minister Oscar Fernandes said today that the government has taken several measures on the occasion of Labour Day for unorganised sector workers for improving social security.

"A new bill, Unorganized Sector Workers Social Security Bill, 2007 was introduced in Parliament. At the same time, a Health Insurance Scheme for the poor titled Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) has become operational," said Fernandes while greeting the workers.

The government will reimburse the employers contribution to the Employees 'Provident Fund and Employees' State Insurance Corporation for the first three years for the disabled employees, the Minister said.

He said to eliminate child labour in hazardous areas, the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme has been extended to cover 250 districts. About 3.94 lakh children from special schools of NCLPs have been selected for the formal education system.

"Action has been initiated for the upgradation of Industrial Training Institute (ITIs) as Centres of Excellence. Under Skill Development Initiatives (SDI) Scheme, short-term training courses based on Modular Employable Skills (MES) framework for skill development for the school drop-outs and existing workers especially in the informal sector have been developed," he added.

ANI