SHIMLA 14th February 2012 : Industries Minister Shri Kishan Kapoor while speaking during the conference of Ministers and Secretaries at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi said that out of 67 employment exchange offices 64 had been provided with online facility. He said that the State Government had developed ‘Job Portal’ in which data of registered youth and their qualifications had been provided to facilitate the industrial units to pick and choose them for employment as per their requirements. It has not only brought transparency but had also provided an opportunity to the youth at their door-steps to be called for job.
The Minister said that the minimum wages for workers in the State were fixed under minimum wages Act since 1959 for 11 scheduled employments and it was a matter of pride that the State Government had fixed minimum wages more than National Floor Level Minimum Wage of Government of India.
He said that the State Government had urged the Government of India for financial package for modernising and computerising the employment exchange offices under the Mission Mode Project. He said that the State Government would committed for welfare and security of labourers working in unorganised sectors, adding the State Government was framing rules for such workers under unorganised workers social security Act 2008 to provide various benefits and security to them. He said that as maximum workers in unorganised sectors were involved in construction works and the State Government has introduced Himachal Pradesh building and other construction workers Act 2008 under which Himachal Pradesh building and other construction workers welfare Board had been constituted in March, 2009 wherein, 4946 workers had been registered. He said that decision had been taken to benefit these workers under Rashtriya Swasthaya Bima and Janshri Bima Yojna. He said that so far a sum of Rs. 2,12,400 had been spent on 2130 beneficiaries under these schemes.
He said that to stop exploitation of workers by the contractors it had been made mandatory to issue identity cards to the workers under the Himachal Pradesh contract labour (Regulatory and Eradication) Act 1974 and HP minimum wages Act 1978, which would be issued by employer and attested by Labour Officer. The Minister urged for making payments to contract workers and all other workers through banks by making few amendments in labour laws.
He stressed for providing training to youth as per the need of the hour so as to provide them maximum employment opportunities. The State Government was endeavouring to impart training to unemployed youth as per industrial needs. He said that there were 17 Engineering Colleges, 13 Pharmacy Colleges, 83 ITI’s and 118 Industrial Training Centres functioning in the State and upto 2013 there would be as many as 40,000 youth completing degree courses.