The Union Minister for Steel, Mines and Labour & Employment, Narendra Singh has said that Industry can play a crucial role in generation of employment opportunities in the country. He said this while addressing a meeting with the employers’ associations in New Delhi today. Emphasizing on employment generation as the prime priority for the Ministry, he said that the Government is committed for creating employment opportunities by developing labour intensive industries and imparting skill development training for the youth. He underscored the importance of harmony and synergy between industry and workers, and stressed upon the need to create conducive environment for industry, which would translate into better benefits for the worker. Thanking Employers’ Organisations for their creative suggestions, the Minister said that the discussions not only focused on the interest of the industry but also discussed at length labour welfare issues.
The Minister said that labour welfare and industrial development cannot be pursued in isolation, and only a comprehensive approach can lead us to the fulfillment of our goals. The Minister of State for Steel, Mines and Labour & Employment, Shri Vishnu Deo Sai and Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment, Smt Gauri Kumar were also present on the occasion.In the meeting, Employers’ Organisations welcomed Minister’s timely initiative for tripartite consultations and appreciated government’s positive attitude towards solving the problems being faced by the industry. They supported and welcomed steps taken by the Ministry for the ease of compliance of labour laws, particularly by the development of a single-window web portal.
During the discussions, employers stressed on the need to create, among other things, entrepreneurship development programmes, recognition and intensifying all the skill development initiatives undertaken by MSMEs, integration of these initiatives to the mainstream of Skill Development Programmes, and bringing one single law for MSME sector. They also indicated that the labour policy, in true spirit of tripartism, should reorient itself to recognize both industry and labour as partners in growth and development.