The government is open to amending a law related to the regulation and abolition of contract labour. Labour minister Mallikarjun Kharge said during Question Hour that the government will hold a meeting of the tripartite group, which has been asked to give a report on how to regulate the wages and service conditions of contract labour. “Based on that report, if an amendment (in the Contract Labour Regulation and Amendment Act) is necessary, it will be done,” he said.
Earlier, when the Rajya Sabha met in the morning, Left party MPs raised the issue of the conditions of the labour class.
Chairman Hamid Ansari was forced to intervene and expressed regret over the Opposition’s attempts to disrupt the proceedings of the House.
Later, during the Question Hour, Mr Kharge expressed confidence that the report of the tripartite group could help address issues like uneven wages to contract workers and employment of contract workers in jobs, where regular workers should be working.
Replying to another question, Mr Kharge exuded confidence that finance ministry is likely to approve by March-end the EPFO proposal to give 9.5 per cent interest on provident fund deposits for 2010-11. “The ministry of labour and employment has forwarded the recommendation of CBT to the ministry of finance for approval... We are pursuing it... We will try our best so that we can get approval by March...” he told the Rajya Sabha.