Modi govt to punish violators of Contract Labour Act: Minister

Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya today said the Modi-led government is firm on punishing those found violating the provisions in the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970.
"The government enacted the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970 to regulate the employment of contract labour in certain establishments and to provide for its abolition in certain circumstances," the Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment said here.
He was addressing a meeting of the Consultative Committee attached to the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
The Act aims at regulating employment of contract labour, so as to bring them on par with labour employed directly, with regard to the working conditions and certain other benefits, the minister said.

"These workers are generally engaged in agricultural operations, plantations, construction industry, sports and docks, oil fields, factories, railways, shipping, airlines, road transport and others," he added.
Dattatreya said union government has devised certain ways and measures to protect the interests of contract workers in terms of wages, hours of work, welfare, health and social security.

He said they (workers) need to be provided with canteen, rest rooms, first aid facility, and other basic necessities at the workplace.
"The liability to ensure that payment of wages and other benefits is primarily is that of contractors and in case of default, that of principal employer," he said.

The minister said the central and state governments are required to set up central and state advisory boards, which are authorised to constitute committees, which are deemed appropriate.
He said that the ministry has identified certain grey areas in the existing labour laws with regards to contract labourers.