ILO meet on employment growth in India

The UN agency dealing with work and workplace issues has organised a two-day National Technical Consultation on Employment Policy for India here from tomorrow jointly with the Union Labour Ministry to evolve a new national employment strategy for the country.

A background report prepared for the meeting said employment-intensive growth did not necessarily require labour-intensive technologies to be used as growth could be promoted in sectors that are by their nature labour intensive.

The report said the strategies developed need to reflect the enormous economic contribution of women. The meeting will take a diagnostic approach, said Leyla Tegmo-Reddy, ILO Sub-Regional Director for South Asia. India has enjoyed impressive economic growth for more than a decade....We need to understand why employment is growing so slowly, particularly in the organised sector, and why employment in the informal sectors remains low quality, she said.

The meet will be attended by Mr Jose-Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Director of the ILO and Abhijit Sen, Member, Planning Commission, among others.

Noting that the 11th Plan aimed at ensuring faster growth, Salazar-Xirinachs said this is in line with the ILOs mandated goal of promoting decent work for all.

An ILO spokesperson said discussions at the meeting would cover possible policy responses in a number of areas.

These include economic policies relating to macro-economics and specific sectors, labour market policies, skills development, and enterprise development, in particular in relation to micro and small enterprises. Representatives of workers and employers, academics, central and state government officials, Planning Commission members and policy makers will also attend the meeting.