Govt working on database of migrant labourers: Union minister Gangwar

Union Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar on Friday said the government is working on creating a database of migrant labourers so that they get direct benefit of various welfare schemes.

Speaking at an event after inauguration of a new building of the Labour Bureau Bhawan here, the Minister of State (Independent charge) for Labour and Employment said an accurate database is crucial for formulation of any policy.

"We always talk about estimated figures about them (labourers). But today the need is to create such a database about migrant labourers so that they can get direct benefit of various welfare schemes," Gangwar said.

"Their skill mapping has to be done, we are concerned about this, we want that they should get jobs as per their skills, he said.

But we are working in this direction now we are making maximum use of IT (information technology) to come out with concrete data, he added.

Stressing on the importance of accurate database for formulation of any policy, the minister said there was a need to have concrete and accurate data of labourers engaged in the unorganised sector.

They are an important and strong workforce of our country. They constitute a big chunk of workforce. If we do not have any concrete data about them, it will be felt that something is amiss," he said.

When we say we have nearly 10 crore labourers in the organised sector and 40 crore working in the unorganised sector, people ask do we have any database, he said, adding that the Labour Bureau can do the task of organising this data.

He also highlighted the problems faced by migrant labourers, a large number of whom had returned to their native states amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that migrant labourers who return from their native states are not able to get work as per their skills.

He hailed the work done over the years by the Labour Bureau, which is the apex organisation in the field of labour statistics, saying this organisation is making its contribution in the country's progress.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Gangwar appreciated efforts put in by various states to support labourers and extend monetary and other help to them.

Punjab's Health and Labour Minister, Balbir Singh Sidhu touched upon various welfare steps which the Congress government in the state has been taking for welfare of labourers and workers' class.

He also said that under Pradhan Mantri Shram-Yogi Maandhan' (PMSYM) for the unorganised sector workers, states contribute half of the money they get from the Centre.

He demanded that beneficiary cards issued under the scheme should also carry the photos of the chief ministers of various states along with that of the prime minister.

He also said that the Centre should extend help to the states during the current difficult situation triggered by pandemic so that they are able to continue support to the labour class and other weaker sections hit hard by it.

The Labour Bureau in its earlier avatar the Directorate of Cost of Living, was established in Shimla 1941 and in 1946 the directorate was rechristened as Labour Bureau.

The bureau is known for its price indices, administrative statistics and labour related surveys data.

It is also recognised for unique surveys like the occupational wage survey which make it the lone organisation in India which has occupation wise wage data across wide ranging sectors.

The bureau is also a repository of vital administrative statistics collected under the various Labour Acts.