Labour Ministry mulls 'Santusht' portal in Jan for speedy resolution of grievances

The labour ministry has chalked out a plan to launch a new portal 'Santusht' next month for speedy redressal of worker as well as employer grievances and ensuring effective implementation of labour laws at the grassroot level, a source said.

Initially, Santusht (Hindi for satisfied) would monitor all services provided by retirement fund body EPFO and health insurance and services provider ESIC to formal sector workers.

Later, the portal would cover other wings of the ministry as well. It would also have data on real time basis to assess the performance of each and every official.

Workers and employers can lodge their complaints on the portal, which would be managed by an internal monitoring cell comprising five to six officers, the source said.

Presently, the ministry is in the process of categorising 44 central labour laws into four broad codes on wages, industrial relations, social security and occupational safety, health and working conditions (OSH).

The ministry top brass is hopeful of getting all the four codes operational by 2020.

"The ministry wants to ensure effective implementation of four labour codes which are likely to be a reality in 2020," the source said.

"It is not enough to have legislations for safeguarding workers' rights and providing various facilities to employers for creating conducive environment for job creation and robust economic growth. The effective implementation of all codes is required. That would be ensured by Santusht," the source added.

The portal would have all data related to business transacted by the EPFO and ESIC.

There have been grievances of the subscribers of the two bodies as well as other workers regarding poor implementation of labour laws in the country. Workers have faced issues like delay in settling claims by Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

Some workers do not get minimum wages, while other issues related to labour law implementation at the grassroot level affects both employees and employers.

The portal would help the labour ministry to assess the performance of officials, which would be given due weighage at the time of their appraisals, transfers and postings, the source added. Santusht is envisaged to ensure transparency, accountability and effective implementation of labour laws.