Journalism of Courage
Former Supreme Court judge Justice BN Srikrishna said on Saturday that balancing the economy and constutional mandate is key to labour reforms as labour is an input. “In democracy, there should always be a balancing view as issues are more. For example, better living conditions for labourers and minimum wages to workers, apart from populist ideas, should also be implemented,” he said at the one-day national workshop of “Make In India-Smart Cities: A challenge for labour reforms.”
Justice Srikrishna said that remuneration to labourers, improved conditions of workers and security of service to labourers are the necessary reforms to be made in all labour acts.
“Labour laws should be implemented as a spirit and should be understandable. There should be National Labour Laws and National Wage Policy for the whole country. There should be employment security, programs on skill development at multiple levels for labourers, education for them and flexibity in laws in order to have good labour reforms,” he further said.
Prof Mukund Sarda, dean of Bharatiya Vidyapeeth’s New Law College, which organised the workshop, said, “Smart cities promote competition amongst smart cities. Everyone should have the right to dignified life. Smart cities should have smart labour and there is a need to abolish unnecessary laws for implementation of Make in India. The major issues that should be resolved include abolishing multiple legislations and license raj, safety and security of labourers, skill development and e-Learning.”
MCCIA director-general Anant Sardeshmukh said, “Through Make in India, there will be increase in jobs, employment and sales. It will open up the Indian market to foreign companies, and improve infrastructure. Smart cities would be through Information Technology, use of modern technology by citizens and the government. For labour reforms, simplicity and vision is required. For Make in India to become a dream come true, pace is required.”
