'Industrial houses should promote schemes to motivate workers'

Participative schemes help in harnessing and leveraging hidden potential of the workforce at the plant level in a big way, said Labour and Employment Minister Mallikarjun Kharge.

"I am confident that these schemes operated by the government will continue to make significant contribution in motivating our workers, unions and managements alike for expeditious industrial and economic development of the country," he said.

Kharge was addressing the Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar (VRP) and National Safety Awards (NSA) function here.

Noting that government is making concerted efforts for achieving faster and more inclusive growth, he said schemes like NREGA, Rashtriya Swasthiya Bima Yojana etc. Have helped bring stability to the rural labour market, improve average age of workers, enhancing employability and employment.

He hoped effective implementation of national policy on safety, health and environment at workplace along with coordinated efforts of the central and the state governments including all stakeholders would ensure enhanced occupational safety and health standards in India.

In all, 28 awardees were honoured by the Minister for 2010 under the VRP category and 86 awardees were decorated under the NSA category.