New Delhi: The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), an affiliate to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Saturday urged the Central Group of Ministers (GoM) to protect labour incentive sectors to avoid huge job losses. Under the chairmanship of Union Minister for Social Justice Thavar Chand Gehlot, Centre has formed a GoM on employment and skill development.
There is a paradigm shift in thinking among the policymakers and the enforcement agencies. The desired transformation will not come, said BMS.
“So, the need of the hour is out of box thinking and formulating new strategies keeping in mind the special situations prevailing in India,” it said.
The BMS also suggested several measures for employment generation amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
1. Protect existing employment in Labour-intensive sectors like -Agriculture, Plantation, Beedi, Handloom, Fishing, etc. After Covid19, huge job losses occurring in these sectors;
2. Recognize Community based professions as employment avenues. Take all protective measures to save them.
3. Identify districts which are providing mass employment with local resources and local potentialities. Assist them to increase more employment.
4. Develop clusters of villages in each district at which 20-25 villages consists. For Integrated Development of Villages adopt village clusters model.
5. Migrant Workers Centric Plans are required particularly concerning with Construction workers, Street Vendors, Hotel Workers, Daily Wage Workers for domestic purposes, Self-employed workers etc. are to be identified and identity cards to be issued to each individual
6. Apart from Migrant Labour, there is a huge number of Local labour which can be useful to fulfil the needs of urban areas. Government has to establish a mechanism to provide work for these workers
7. The MGNAREGA works should not be done during Crop seeding and cutting period. Change parameter/criteria for providing job to registered workers. “Family” should not be the basis for providing work instead Individual should be the basis. So 100 working days for each individual has to been given
8. A new mechanism/policy required to restrict production of certain items which, Tiny, Micro and Cottage Industries can produce. Big companies, Corporates & MNC’s should not produce these items. This is a tough and hard decision, but to protect our Rural Economy it is essential.
9. The State Governments and the Central Government must collect & maintain Migrants workers data properly. That will be useful for Man Power Assessment. Some coordinated efforts with State Governments have to be intensified to provide employment opportunities to these millions of Migrant Workers.
