With four labour codes, 2020 to be a ‘year of reforms’: Gangwar

Team Udayavani, Dec 30, 2019, 1:02 PM IST

New Delhi: As many as 44 central labour laws are most likely to be subsumed under four labour codes in 2020, making it a year of reforms as the government works to bolster investments and tackle slowdown blues.

Besides, the Union Labour Ministry is mulling launching a ‘Santusht’ portal next month for effective implementation of labour laws at the grass-root level.

Entering 2020, the government hopes that India would be able to implement all four codes on wages, industrial relations, social security and occupational safety, health and working conditions. These are expected to improve ease of doing business and safeguard interest of workers.

“We hope that 2020 would be an year of labour reforms. The four codes would be a reality in 2020. The codes would safeguard the interest of workers and employers. We have tried to strike a balance between workers’ as well employees’ rights,” Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar told PTI.

The labour reforms assume significance in view of an over six-year-low gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 4.5 per cent in the second quarter of this fiscal. The retail inflation or consumer price index (CPI) hit 40-month high at 5.54 per cent in November.

“The process of labour reforms began after 2nd National Labour Commission gave its report in 2004. But the process was expedited in 2014 (when NDA government came in power at centre).

“We introduced the four codes in Lok Sabha after many tripartite meetings (taking unions and employers on board). Besides we sent all four codes for scrutiny by standing committee,” the minister said.

As per the recommendations of the 2nd National Commission on Labour, the ministry is codifying existing 44 central labour laws into four codes by simplifying, amalgamating and rationalising the relevant provisions of the legislations.