MP signs MoU to assign labourers 'skilled' status

To award "skilled' status to 1.4 million unorganised sector labourers, particularly to those who migrate from the state for a short while, the Madhya Pradesh government has entered into a deal with the Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), New Delhi.

"Labourers who take up a short-duration job in road and building construction and other major projects will get more wages and incentives," said a government spokesperson. The state government signed two MoUs in this regard under the District Poverty Initiative Project (DPIP).

With this, Madhya Pradesh has now become the first state in initiating steps in this direction.

"The construction industry is the second-largest area in the state, which provides employment to rural people. But in the absence of skill certification, labourers get minimum wages. The CIDC will assess the efficiency of the labourers, including workers, masons, plumbers and vendors, to certify them through the Indira Gandhi National Open University," the spokesman said.

CIDC officials will visit the places selected by the rural development department and then assess the efficiency of labourers in the construction industry. The CIDC will make efforts to arrange for employment for labourers, besides improving their status as construction workers in the state.

A co-ordinating council would also be set up, including representatives of the rural development department, technical education department and CIDC. This council would take decisions regarding training labourers in various trades and professions related to the real estate industry.

The technical education department will provide accommodation and resources in its industrial training institutes for the purpose. The CIDC will make arrangements for the training.

Further, panchayats and the rural development department of the state will register skilled labourers in rural areas. Later, they will be asked to join training programmes of industrial training institutes and polytechnics.