MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)
(a) to (e): Labour Bureau, under the Ministry of Labour & Employment, has been entrusted with the task of conducting the Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) as a component of All India Quarterly Establishment based Employment Survey (AQEES). It is an enterprise-level survey to be conducted on all India level, including the State of Rajasthan. The Quarterly Employment Survey report as on 1st April, 2021 collected the information on the Covid-19 pandemic impact on the operational status and employment status of the establishments in the selected 9 sectors.
Contd..2/-
:: 2 ::
Government is providing fiscal stimulus of more than Rupees twenty seven lakh crore as part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat financial Package which comprises of various long term schemes/ programmes/ policies specifically to create employment opportunities, for migrant workers, workers of unorganized sector, strengthening of MSME Sector and promoting rural economy.
Besides, initiatives taken by the Ministry of Labour and Employment include the following:
(i) Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) was launched with effect from 1st October, 2020 as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat package 3.0 to incentivize employers for creation of new employment along with social security benefits and restoration of loss of employment during Covid-19 pandemic. This scheme being implemented through Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), seeks to reduce the financial burden of the employers and encourages them to hire more workers. The terminal date for registration of beneficiaries has been extended from 30.06.2021 to 31.03.2022. As on 20.11.2021, benefit has been provided to 39.43 lakh beneficiaries through 1.15 lakh establishments.
(ii) Under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), Government of India has contributed both 12% employer’s share and 12% employee’s share under Employees Provident Fund (EPF), totaling 24% of the wage for the wage month from March to August, 2020 for the establishments having upto 100 employees with 90% of such employees earning less than Rs. 15000/. This has helped in protecting employment in EPFO registered establishments during post Covid period.
(iii) Non-refundable Covid advance from the PF by amending the EPF Scheme, 1952;
(iv) Extension in the date of filing of returns;
(v) Issuing advisory to promptly attend to distress calls of workers/employees and also guide them in temporary shelters;
(vi) Using Building and Other Construction workers (BOCW) cess fund for transfer of adequate funds in the bank account of construction workers affected by Covid-19 outbreak; and
Contd..3/-
:: 3 ::
(vii) Taking preventive measures to contain the spread of Covid –19.
Approximately 80 crore beneficiaries have been provided additional 5 kg wheat or rice and 1 kg of preferred pulses, free of cost every month till November, 2020 under provisions of National Food Security Act. In response to the Government of India’s directions, the State Welfare Boards have cumulatively disbursed around Rs.5,000 crore, to approx. 1.83 crore Building and Other Construction (BOC) Workers during lockdown and thereafter. In addition to this, around 30 lakh BOC workers were also provided food relief packages.
Further, in order to boost employment and livelihood opportunities for migrant workers returning to villages, in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India launched Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan on 20th June 2020. The Abhiyaan focussed on durable rural infrastructure and providing modern facilities like internet in the villages. Skill Mapping of the rural migrant labour is also being done to enhance their employability on the basis of the skills, they possess to enable them work closer to their homes. The Abhiyaan involves intensified and focused implementation of 25 target driven works to provide employment and create infrastructure in the rural areas of 116 districts of 6 States with a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crore. The Abhiyaan has already generated 50,78,68,671 man-days.
For the benefit of 50 lakh street vendors, Government of India has also launched SVANidhi Scheme to provide them collateral free working capital loan upto Rs.10,000/- to resume their lost livelihood due to Covid and lock-down.
To provide employment to the migrant workers Ministry of Transport and Highways has identified the ongoing works/new works for the road construction.
In rural areas, wages under MGNREGA have been enhanced from Rs.182 to Rs.202 per day for the benefit of rural workers including returning migrant workers.
Ministry of Food Processing Industries have sanctioned 700 food processing/preservation and infrastructure projects in which migrant labourers can be employed.
******
Download PDF Files
