Karnataka to come up with new labour policy

Taking into account the grievances of the unorganised sector and the growing importance of manufacturing and service sector, the Karnataka government is all set to promulgate a new labour policy soon.

Speaking at an interactive session on labour policy and related issues organised by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC), Commissioner of Labour D S Vishwanath said the new labour policy will be forward-looking and work for the industrialisation of the state.

“Rather than discussing the inspector raj and capital raj, we are promulgating the labour law based on the welfare raj which will give a win-win situation for both entrepreneurs and workers,” he said.

Vishwanath said that the Karnataka State Labour Department had started the initiative to bring out the new labour policy by looking into ground realities.

“We have to look into the reality that entrepreneurs are a pillar of the state. While taking into account their issues, the new labour policy will may not gain 100 per cent acceptance. Rather than defining the policy as profit versus welfare, we should define it as welfare with profit,” he said.

Highlighting the fact that Tamil Nadu is the only state in the country to have promulgated a state labour policy, he added.

Vishwanath also revealed that the department will also start a new website so that all labour-related issues can be redressed at the earliest. “The static website will be operationalised within a month. We will make it a dynamic website by 2016 so that time can be save on issues. In the beginning entrepreneurs will get a login ID and password; later on, we will include labourers in this platform,”  he said.

He also said many of the welfare programmes meant for the unorganised sector are not reaching deserving candidates. “We have many welfare schemes like accident insurance and health scheme which can be availed by paying a registration amount of Rs 30. A labour card will be issued in the name of the worker,” he said.

To avail of the facility, labourers should be a member of any of the organisations like the Karnataka State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, Karnataka Labour Welfare Board or the Karnataka State Unorganised Workers Social Security Board.