Gurugram, Jul 30 (IANS): In a bid to facilitate contractual workers, the Haryana government has decided to link all registered sites and organisations having contract labour with the Haryana Udhyam Memorandum (HUM) in the next 6 months. The idea is to ensure complete benefits of ESI and EPF to the workers.
A meeting in this regard under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala was held in Gurugram on Thursday as he emphasised that all contract labour-holding organisations should obtain HUM number. Chautala heads the labour ministry in Haryana.
"Under this, the registration of contractors and workers is being done with their Aadhaar number. The Labour department will confirm that every such organisation is registered with it. After February 1, 2021, if any contractor or organisation is not found registered then strict action will be taken against it," Chautala said.
Such a development has significance as 70 to 80 per cent of contractual labourers belong to other states and they have left their jobs after coronavirus pandemic and returned home. Due to this, a majority of industrial units are operating at less than half of their strength. Hence, production has been affected.
Such a move may attract contract labourers to return in districts like Gurugram, Faridabad, Panipat, Sonepat, and Rewari. Over 8,000 small to large scale industries and BPOs are operational in Gurugram district besides 5,000 in Faridabad.
"As per official figures, 427 institutes have obtained their certificates by registering themselves under the contract labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 in the state this year so far. Similarly, 1,882 contractors and organisations have obtained licenses under this Act overall," Chautala said.
Under this act, the primary employer or industry receives a certificate after registering itself by providing information about the empanelled contractors working with them to the state government. Thereafter, all the empanelled contractors apply under the Act and obtain a licence. The Act covers units or organisations with 50 or more workers.
"We also have plan for contract labour in the units related to rubber industry. In this case, it was decided to invite suggestions from all industrial associations and trade unions. After that, the board will take a decision," Chautala said.