Labour reforms would happen only through consensus and dialogue: Modi

Coimbatore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asserted that government is engaged in carrying out labour reforms through consensus and dialogue with stakeholders including workers without compromising on their genuine protections and rights.[caption id=“attachment_2608636” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Reuters[/caption] Modi’s assurance to the working class comes against the backdrop of the campaign by central trade unions against labour reforms and their plans to hold a day-long all-India strike on 10 March against the “anti-worker” polices of the Central and state governments. “We are progressing on the reform path by building consensus on these reforms through extensive stakeholder consultations with employers, worker’s representatives, and state governments,” he said addressing after inaugurating the newly-constructed building of ESIC Medical College and Hospital in Coimbatore. Modi further said, “Keeping in mind our commitment to ‘minimum government, maximum governance’, the ministry is simplifying Central labour laws by consolidating the existing 44 laws into four labour codes. Namely, on wages, industrial relations, safety and security, and health.” The Prime Minister expressed hope that this (reforms) would considerably increase the ease of doing business and facilitate job creation, without compromising on the genuine protections and rights available for workers. Modi was of the view that industrial peace and harmony can be achieved only when the goals of employment and employability are in tune with the goals of industrial development and growth. “It is our shared vision to have an environment which is conducive for inclusive growth and development of the country. I assure the state government all the cooperation from the Central government in all its efforts in this direction,” the prime minister said. Talking about the ESIC’s medical college in Coimbatore, he said the project worth Rs 580 crore will be a boon to ESIC beneficiaries and their family members in and around Coimbatore. “Of the 100 MBBS seats proposed here, 20 seats will be reserved for the children of persons insured under the ESI scheme. We should strive to make this medical college and hospital a model for high quality medical education and treatment to workers of the State,” he said. Elaborating about the government’s plans for upgradation of existing state and central medical colleges to increase MBBS seats he said, “Through this, we hope to increase 10,000 MBBS seats and support the colleges with funds for equipment and infrastructure.” “So far 23 medical colleges have been approved to increase over 1,700 MBBS seats. I am happy to inform that four state government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu at Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Madurai have been approved for upgradation by adding 345 more MBBS seats,” Modi said. PTI