NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday unveiled an ambitious scheme to herald industrial revolution and give shape to his ‘Make in India’ policy – his dream of making India a hub for global production.
Modi’s plan, announced under Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Shramev Jayate (labour triumphs) scheme, lays emphasis on labour reforms and liberating industries from red tape and fear of labour inspectors.
“We have heard about Inspector Raj since our childhood and we thought it was for policemen only, till we realised its meaning, which is a lot more than that…” Modi said at a conference organised by the Labour Ministry at the Vigyan Bhawan.
About 1,800 labour inspectors will no longer now have the liberty to select industrial units to visit on their own. Instead they will be given lists of industries to inspect by a centralised computer system on a random basis. The inspectors would have to upload their reports within 72 hours of their visits on a unified portal to ensure transparency.
Modi announced the scheme for labour reforms following his August 15 announcement to make India a hub for global production and complaints of CEOs of multinational companies about complex labour laws and existence of red tape as deterrence for doing business in India during his recent visit to the US.
Some of the highlights of the scheme announced by Modi are to increase minimum wages of workers in the organised sector from the existing Rs6,500 (Dh387) to Rs15,000 per month so that they come under the ambit of provident fund from which they get minimum of Rs1,000 as pension on retirement, portability of provident fund upon change of job and medical insurance under the revamped Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (national health insurance plan) under which workers employed in unorganised sectors would also benefit.
According to Modi, those who produce have the potential to become maker of the nation too.
“When you use various products, think about the people who worked hard in getting it to you. I am sure the person who labours can become a Rashtra Nirmata (maker of the nation),” Modi said.
A unified labour and industrial portal called Shram Suvidha is to be launched where all data will be stored. All existing and upcoming industrial units will be given a unique Labour Identification Number (LIN) aimed at simplifying business regulations and securing transparency and accountability. A new industrialist now will have to fill only one form instead of 16 forms under existing rules.
“If we want to make ‘Make in India’ a success, the most important part is to provide ease of business. For the same, we have to redefine e-governance as easy governance, effective governance and transparent governance,” Modi said.
Modi laid emphasis on skill development asking people not to look down upon ITIs (industrial training institutes) and its students. “We have enough manpower, but it doesn’t mean anything if they are not skilled manpower. India must be a key player in providing skilled workforce to the world… We have looked down upon ITIs and its students. We have taken a step today to change this as they have great potential, and should not be ashamed to declare that they have been trained to work hard,” Modi said.
