CREDAI Conclave 2015: Ease of Doing Business Is A Must, Says Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya

Union Minister of Labour & Employment (Independent Charge) Bandaru Dattatreya on Wednesday (December 16) said the process of doing business in an easier manner was necessary for the country and the government was working towards removing the roadblocks. He was speaking at CREDAI Conclave 2015 in New Delhi recently. 

In the World Bank's Doing Business 2016 report, India has jumped to rank 130 out of 189 countries—up 12 spots from 142 a year ago.

Speaking on the latest labour reforms planned by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, the minister said, “A conducive atmosphere should be created between an employer and an employee for the growth of the country." The latest labour reforms had faced a countrywide 24-hour general strike of 10 trade unions (apart from BJP's Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh) in September this year.

Labour reforms have long been pending in India. An Indian Express report had recently suggested that almost 90 per cent of the labour community is casual and not protected by laws and regulations.

Ministry of Labour & Employment has decided to draft labour codes by amalgamating the relevant Labour Laws. The government proposes to draft a Labour Code on Wages by amalgamating the following four central acts: The Minimum Wages Act, 1948; The Payment of Wages Act, 1936; The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965; and The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.