New Delhi: Union minister Santosh Gangwar has called for suitable global action especially by BRICS towards effecting a balance between labour and employer which will generate growth and create more jobs and greater labour welfare, the Labour Ministry said.
Speaking at a BRICS Ministerial on Friday, Gangwar said that safety, health, welfare and improved working conditions are essential for well being of the workers.
A healthy workforce, he said, in the country would be more productive and contribute to economic growth.
BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers' Virtual Meeting was held under Russian Presidency to discuss various issues including approaches to creating a safe work culture in BRICS countries, the Labour Ministry said in a statement.
Gangwar underlined that the aspects of occupational safety and health measures to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 have also acquired significance.
To provide a dynamic and effective framework of occupational safety and health at workplace, Gangwar informed the meet that Parliament of India recently passed the Code on Occupational Safety,
Health and Working Conditions, 2020.
This, the minister said, has expanded coverage of legal provisions to all sectors.
Elaborating provisions for safety in new India Legislations including Safety Committees of workers & employers, Gangwar called upon BRICS in framing these mechanisms at various multilateral fora.
Speaking during another Session on Reducing poverty through social and economic transformation, Gangwar said the Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is committed to eradicate poverty and promote prosperity in a changing world.
Gangwar also said that COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges for the world at large and stated that our efforts towards combating poverty need to be re-oriented.
India, he informed, taken up a number of relief measures under the Self Reliant India Campaign to protect the economy from the adverse impact of the Covid-19 crisis.
He further said that India is an early achiever in attaining the MDG target for reducing poverty head count ratio and has been sustaining the declining trend as we move towards achieving SDG Goal One to eradicate poverty.
Intervening during the Session on ''The future of labour in a digital economy'', Gangwar said that Digitization and technological advancements like artificial intelligence and robotics are rapidly reshaping our life and work. All these changes have a direct effect on the labour market.
Under COVID-19, he said, the world has gone into isolation. In this situation, the minister stressed, digitization offers the opportunity for governments, individuals and businesses to cope with the changing scenario.
"With a strong and reliable digital infrastructure and access, India presents an attractive opportunity for global and local businesses
and also creates new employment opportunities," Gangwar added.
Referring to digital economy creating new forms of work such as gig work and platform work, he said this has also resulted in new kinds of employment relationships where one worker is engaged with multiple employersthereby bringing complexity in the provision of social protection and other welfare benefits.