Guwahati : Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya has admitted gaps in enforcing labour laws in some States of the Northeast, while emphasizing on job creation and ensuring proper wages for workers in the region.
Addressing a press conference Dattatreya said, “We have seen the inspection reports. There are some gaps and we have advised on proper inspections and enforcements. Some states have made delay in enforcement.”
The Union Minister said the NE States will have to focus on job creation and ensuring that all workers are paid wages above the minimum slab, which were agreed to by the participants at the regional conference.
Reviewing the cess collection and expenditure under BOCW Cess Act, Dattatreya said out of Rs 1,003 crore collected in NE states, Rs 833 crore is unspent and he has asked the States to use 10 percent of unused amount for skill development initiatives. The issue of social security for workers of unorganized sectors was also discussed at the meeting, he added.
Dattatreya lauded the efforts of the Assam government in opening bank accounts for tea garden workers of the State post-demonetization.
The Union Minister informed that bank accounts for 5.5 lakh tea garden workers, out of 7.86 lakh registered tea garden workers in the State, have already been opened since demonetization on November 8 last. The remaining workers are to be covered in next 10 days, he added.
Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, while inaugurating the conference, highlighted the steps taken by the State government to reduce hardships of people due to demonetization.
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