India : Lok Sabha okays higher accident relief to industry workers
To ensure higher compensation to employees in case of industrial accidents, the Lok Sabha Tuesday passed the Employees Compensation (Amendment) Act 2016 by voice vote. The bill provides for hefty penalty in case of violation by employers.
Labour and Employment Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, replying to a debate on the bill, said it raises compensation to Rs 50,000 to 1 lakh to employees and their dependants in the event of injury in industrial accidents, including occupational diseases. Earlier this compensation was Rs 5,000.
Stressing the NDA government is “pro-worker” and “pro-labour”, he said efforts have been made to expedite the pending labour cases in courts. As of June 2016, there were 17,289 such cases with every year witnessing an addition of 1320 cases, he added.
Highlighting “achievements” of the government, he said labour unions had called for a strike on September 2 but he addressed seven of their 10 demands. Earlier several members from Left parties raised the issue of the government not giving time to trade unions to listen to their issues.
The government has also increased the minimum pension from Rs 350 crore to Rs 1000 crore, Dattatreya said. He said the government has also launched a National Career Service Portal, in which 9 lakh people have registered.