'Govt to place legislation to safeguard unorganised workers in Parliament'

Union Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar on Wednesday said the Centre would place a comprehensive legislation in the next session of Parliament to bring labourers of the unorganised sector in its ambit along with those in the organised sector.
 

Gangwar, who is the union minister of state for labour and employment, said that the Narendra Modi government at the Centre is trying to make the law as per the requirements of the changing times.
 

“There are 40 labour laws which are outdated. So keeping in mind the requirement of the time, the government has resolved to club them in four codes - Wage Act, industry-workers relation, social and security of workers and working condition of workers", he said.
 

The people of the nation would know about it in the President’s address to Parliament, Gangwar said at the 117th foundation day celebration function of the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS).
 

He said there are five to six crore labourers in the organized sectors and 400 million in the unorganised sector engaged in 7000 mines of the country. The government is serious about the welfare and safety of the unorganised sector labourers and they would be covered by the new act.
 

The minister said the government is concerned at the plight of the workers in the unorganized sector and steps are being initiated for their welfare.
 

Gangwar, who inspected the deep underground mines of Bharat Coking Coal Limited, appreciated DGMS in checking mines accidents.
 

He said safety regulations should be implemented in mines at any cost and officers should try to analyse risk factors for minimising mine accidents.
 

“New safety measures which come in the mining sector should be adopted for checking incidents and implementation of the Mines Act", he said.
 

The Mines Act, 1952 was enacted to enforce for measures of safety and welfare of labourers working in coal, metallic, ferrous and oil mines.
 

The union minister brushed aside requests for the revival of the underground fire affected Dhanbad-Chandrapura railway line saying since a committee under the personal secretary of the prime minister is dealing with the matter he cannot force DGMS to give the green signal.
 

Besides, the matter concerns other ministries and he cannot take the decision alone, Gangwar added.