New Delhi: Stressing that country's labour force has a huge role to play in realising India's dreams and aspirations to build a developed nation in the Amrit Kaal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the government has taken the initiative to abolish the laws from the period of slavery that reflect the slavery mentality and the country is now changing, reforming and simplifying such labour laws.
While addressing the National Conference of Labour Ministers of all states and Union territories through video-conferencing, the PM said that it will ensure the empowerment of workers via minimum wages, job security, social security, and health security.
"In the past eight years, the government has taken the initiative to abolish the laws from the period of slavery that reflect the slavery mentality. With this in mind, 29 labour laws have been converted into four simple labour codes. This will ensure the empowerment of workers via minimum wages, job security, social security, and health security," the PM said.
Union ministers Bhupender Yadav and Rameshwar Teli and labour ministers of states were among those present on the occasion. According to an official statement, the prime minister reiterated the need to change as per the changing scenario by emphasising the need to take full advantage of the fourth industrial revolution by taking quick decisions and implementing them rapidly.
In the light of platform and gig economy and online facilities, the prime minister stressed the need to be alive towards the emerging dimensions of work. "Right policies and efforts in this area will help in making India a global leader," Modi said.
The prime minister also highlighted that India's labour ministry is preparing its vision for the year 2047 in Amrit Kaal. Reiterating that the future needs flexible workplaces, a work-from-home ecosystem, and flexible work hours, the Prime Minister said that we can use systems like flexible workplaces as opportunities for women's labour force participation.
The PM further reiterated the various efforts by the government like Pradhan Mantri Shram-Yogi Maandhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana that have given a kind of security cover to the workers.
Modi also said that the Emergency Credit Guarantee Scheme has saved 1.5 crore jobs during the pandemic. "We are seeing that just as the country supported its workers in their time of need, in the same way, the workers have put their full strength into recovering from this epidemic," he said.