The Social Security coverage needs to be inclusive, comprehensive and digitally enable to deliver its objectives said Smt Neelam Shami Rao, IAS, Central Provident Fund Commissioner, Employees' Provident Fund Organisation, Government of India
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organized a national conference on Industrial Relations with a theme to address employment, inclusivity, and human centric growth. The conference was attended by participants across the sectors such as manufacturing, retail, service and many more.
Smt Neelam Shami Rao, IAS, Central Provident Fund Commissioner, Employees' Provident Fund Organisation, Government of India emphasized on the amalgamation of social security measures for increased labour force participation. Labour participation will be successful when inclusivity is across gender and geographies. The mandate of EPFO that is ease of doing business, enabling digital services, ease of living- a society to build which is not only resilient but inclusive, not merely as a matter of delivery. She emphasized on the function of entitlement which is highly essential to cater to the challenges relating to accidental death.
Ms Dagmar Walter, Director, ILO DWT for South Asia and CO for India addressed the gathering on ensuring protective and safe working environment for formal as well as informal labour force. She highlighted the role of ILO in creating a decent workspace considering the changes in new work culture, shared ILO's 5 years plan on decent workplace. ILO’s special commission on social protection will be a support mechanism for increasing social protection for better workforce. ILO has recommended measures to EBMOs to increase social protection across the sectors, gig economy being emerging sector for increasing jobs and livelihood.
Mr Ravindra Himte, All India General Secretary, Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh, addressed on the need to dispel misconception about Industry and workers being against each other, both complement each other and are required for national growth.
In the panel discussion on sustainability of universal social security in India, Mr. Rajeev Dubey, Past President, EFI, Member, Governing Body-International Labour Organization, Geneva, Chairman highlighted on the importance of universalisation of schemes, with an objective to make the schemes available to a vast population of workers. Schemes to be made more inclusive to workers not a part of the formal sector. Mr Ravi Peris, Senior Specialist, Employers Activities, ILO, DWT for South Asia suggested on the four pillars of inclusive work culture, that is universality, comprehensiveness, adequacy, sustainability. Mr Ravi Srivastava, Professor & Director, Centre for Employment Studies, Institute of Human Development, emphasized on the mix of contributory and non-contributory schemes which is linked to formalisation of enterprises, wherein the schemes to be thought out in a scalable fashion.
The session on formalizing the informal sector which was moderated by Mr Pradeep Bhargava, Co – Chairman, CII National Committee on Industrial Relations, Chairman and Director, Automotive Systems & Assemblies Ltd highlighted the ability to conceive, develop, and integrate and having a vision 2.0 for NCS which will benefit the workforce across the sector. Mr Amit Nirmal, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Labour and Employment, and Director General, VV Giri National Labour Institute laid special focus on NCS, Udyam, Assem, eshram which is an interconnecting tool for credit facilitation and skilling.
12 December 2022
New Delhi