New Delhi, Jan 16 (UNI) Delhi’s Labour Minister Kapil Mishra on Friday directed officials to expedite the process of bringing unorganised workers, gig and platform workers, besides, construction workers, under the ambit of social security, while ensuring that rules are aligned with those of the Central government.
The direction was issued during a high-level review meeting chaired by the minister on Friday to assess preparedness for the publication and notification of rules framed under the Code on Social Security, 2020.
During the meeting, senior officials briefed the minister on the status of rules framed under all four Labour Codes, including the Code on Social Security, 2020, which aims to extend various welfare benefits to workers in the unorganised sector as well as gig, platform and construction workers.
The meeting was attended by the Labour Commissioner and other senior officers of the Labour Department.
The Code on Social Security provides for the constitution of welfare boards for unorganised and construction workers and the formulation of welfare schemes for their benefit. Emphasising swift implementation, Mishra directed officials to ensure that the benefits of welfare schemes reach eligible workers in a transparent and time-bound manner.
The Labour Minister noted that the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, has consolidated 29 existing labour laws into four comprehensive Labour Codes, the Code on Wages, the Code on Industrial Relations, the Code on Social Security, and the Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions.
Under the Code on Social Security, 2020, unorganised workers and gig and platform workers have been formally included to extend social security benefits to them. Construction workers, who were earlier covered under the Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Act, 1996, have also been brought within the ambit of the new Code.
Mishra instructed officials to closely study the rules pre-published by the Central government and align Delhi’s rules wherever necessary to maintain uniformity across the country and avoid inconvenience to workers.
He further directed that all rules under the four Labour Codes be finalised at the earliest so that maximum benefits can be extended to workers in Delhi without delay and no delay in implementing social security measures will be tolerated.
