Govt proposes wider coverage for migrant workers under labour laws

Migrant workers travelling on their own for work will also be included; till now, only those hired through contractors were covered

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has proposed widening the coverage of migrant workers under labour laws, along with extending more social security benefits to the working class most affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, introduced by Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar in Lok Sabha on Saturday, all workers earning up to Rs 18,000 who migrate from one state to another will be covered under the proposed law.

Under the present law, migrant workers were covered under labour laws only if they were hired through contractors. As a result of