New Delhi: The government said on Friday that India’s social protection systems now cover about 101 crore people, or over 68 per cent of the population – a feat that has been highlighted by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Labour Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said that it is essential to have a balanced development model that advances the welfare and social security of workers, as well as ensure ease of doing business for employers.
Addressing the 4th Global Industrial Relations Summit here, organised by the All India Organisation of Employers (AIOE) in association with FICCI, the minister said harmonious industrial relations require continuous coordination among governments, industry, employers, workers and trade unions to ensure that economic development and employment generation progress together.
Stressing that industrialisation is essential for national development as it drives employment creation, he also underlined the growing importance of self-help groups and cooperative models, particularly women-led initiatives, in expanding livelihood opportunities, strengthening the economy and promoting women’s empowerment.
Citing improving employment elasticity, Dr. Mandaviya said that every 1 per cent increase in GDP is generating 1.11 per cent employment growth, as compared to 0.008 per cent growth in employment seen twelve years ago.
He also indicated that the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) need not remain the sole provider of care under its own scheme.
Well-run private hospitals could be designated as ESIC facilities, he said, describing upcoming reform of the corporation.
He also pointed to the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation’s (EPFO) move to fully digital claims and automatic transfer of accounts on a single UAN, with UPI-based withdrawal under consideration.
According to Michiko Miyamoto, Director ILO DWT for South Asia and Country Office for India, according to the ILO estimate, the country had crossed one billion people covered by at least one social protection criterion.
This achievement, she underscored, would play a key role in propelling India’s economic growth in the days ahead.
(IANS)
