MSMEs in UP bat for contract labour legalisation

Uttar Pradesh Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have demanded legalisation of contract labour supply and implementation of Quality Circles (QCs) for increasing competitiveness in the sector.

The sector further suggests active cooperation and interaction between industry and skill training institutions for preparing workforce according to the needs of the industry.

MSME chamber Indian Industries Association (IIA) had given its proposals at the meeting of Human Resources Development working group of Planning Commission in New Delhi recently.

IIA suggested that agencies may be legalised to supply contract labour and workers be trained in multiple skills to enable them adjust to the requirements of industry. The government should provide incentives for multi-skills trainings to agencies/industry. It said implementation of QCs would ensure participation of workers in enterprise management, but the government should also support MSMEs to institutionalise QCs.

The meeting discussed growth issues concerning MSMEs during the 12th Five Year Plan, so that the sector generates three million jobs annually corresponding to 15 million jobs during 2012-17.

However, IIA lamented that despite a network of training institutions/schemes, there was dearth of competent/employable manpower owing to lack of check on quality, trainer competency and compatibility of curriculum with industry requirements. The chamber suggested the recommendations of Prime Minister’s Task force on Skill Development and Labour be implemented in right earnest.