Women not getting equal pay for equal work: CPI(M) in RS

The CPI(M) in Rajya Sabha today alleged rampant violation of the Equal Remuneration Act and said the law to ensure equal remuneration to women as that of men in workplaces was being further diluted.
Alleging that there was rampant violation of the Act as women were being paid lesser salary than men in most places, Tapan Kumar Sen (CPI-M) said "on Women's day, the entire House pledged to empower women and bring justice. But they are facing the worst kind of discrimination at the place of work.
"The Equal Remuneration Act is being silently violated in the name of Ease of Doing Business," he said during Zero Hour.

Women workers in construction sector, bidi industry and plantations were being given much less salary for the same work done by their male counterparts, Sen said.
"Unfortunately, Equal Remuneration Act is diluted further. Only sound bytes cannot bring justice to women. One crore skilled workers of anganwadi, mid-day meal and Asha are being deprived of statutory wages and social security," the CPI(M) member said.
Raising another issue, Digvijay Singh (Congress) expressed concern over non-disbursal of scholarships to backward students pursuing pre- and post matriculation due to the crashing of a national portal.

"There is a provision of pre and post metric and merit scholarships for SC, ST and OBCs students in the central budget. The government has decided to come up with a national portal through which scholarships will be disbursed to these students. But the national portal has crashed. Today, these students are not getting scholarships," Singh said.

He said there should be no delay in disbursing scholarships to the students.
To this, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Muktar Abbas Naqvi said "With all responsibility, alertness and commitment, our government is doing it. If such an incident has happened, we will definitely look into it and approach the concerned minister."
Irani said the responses regarding NEP had been received
from over one lakh villages, hundreds of blocks, urban local bodies and minority institutions. She also added that she had even sought suggestions from several MPs including those of the opposition like Congress members Karan Singh and P L Punia.

She told members that a large number suggestions were received related to "patriotism and nationalism".
Emphasising that the diversity of nation had been kept in mind during the drafting of the NEP, she said it should not be seen as a Uniform Education Policy.
The Minister said responses were also recieved from apex level institutions working in the field of education.
The Zero Hour also saw an SP member attacking the government for showing "apathy and neglect" towards Uttar Pradesh government while granting funds for various schemes.
Naresh Agarwal accused the Centre of "showing apathy to Uttar Pradesh. Our Chief Minister has written hundreds of letters seeking funds under various schemes. But the letters are not acknowleged. We condemn this apathy and neglect".

Maintaining that Gujarat and Maharastra governments are getting funds but not UP, he alleged that apathy was being shown because of "political reasons or some of kind of revenge" and urged the Centre to treat every state equally even if they had difference of opinion.
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Replying to a question, Minister of MSME Kalraj Mishra said the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) has started one 'Livelihood Business Incubation' at Rajkot in December 2015 to impart Entrepreneurship Development Training and handholding support to the youth under ASPIRE scheme.
ASPIRE is a scheme for promotion of innovation, rural industry and entrepreneurship.

Mishra further said four training cum incubation centres are working unde PPP mode in Anand, Vadodara and Gandhi Nagar.
"At these centres the trainees are encouraged to take wage/self employment. No budgetary support is being provided to these PPP centres," the Minister added.