27-Jul-2022: MoU with ILO on International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs) signed
Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers, and Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a seminar on “Safe Use of Chemicals at Workplace”, here today. Shri Bhagwanth Khuba, Minister of State (Chemicals & Fertilizers and New & Renewable Energy) was graced the occasion. The seminar was organised by Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC)and International Labour Organisation (ILO).. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in presence of Union Minister Dr. Mandaviya between DCPC and ILO for adopting the International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs).
Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said that Worker’s safety and humane behaviour have been India’s top priority. We have accepted global best practices wholeheartedly to ensure development and welfare of our citizens. He mentioned that “chemical industry is a critical and integral part of the growing Indian economy. It occupies a vital position in meeting our basic needs, developmental needs and improving the quality of our daily lives.”
He underlined that often catastrophic accidents can happen related with chemicals, mainly due to lack of proper safety measures. This calls for adhering to global safety standards and practices, he noted. “It is crucial that international standards developed by ILO are adopted by India as this will not only mitigate industrial accidents but also ensure further alignment with global best practices”, he added. He exhorted all stakeholders to ensure that information about not only these ICSCs but also safety regulations are conveyed adequately to the workers. He said that “Industry safety can be ensured by adhering to international standards for storage and processing, putting safest and efficient procedures, installing robust technologies in place. This can be ensured by spreading awareness and creating capacity building among workers through training sessions”.
Dr. Mandaviya urged various stakeholders including government officials, experts and industry leaders to engage in a brainstorming session. He said that such stakeholder consultations will bring out innovative ideas which can be further used as basis of future legislations and steps.
Shri Bhagwant Khuba, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers and New & Renewable Energy noted that India’s stature has risen globally in chemical sector and thus it becomes a need that we look at the sector not just from production basis but safety aspects as well. He said that the Industrial workers from floor-level to managerial level must be made aware of possible hazards at workplace and must be equipped with adequate knowledge to deal with them in case of any emergency. He said that such training sessions and safety mock drills are not only important for workers’ safety but also play a key role for our environment as well. He also thanked all the participants and echoed the need that “all stakeholders must learn and grow together as only this could ensure that our industries function without any harm and hazard, without losing any lives.” He was hopeful that this MoU between DCPC and ILO would further enforce our efforts in implementation of safety regulations in the country.
About International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs):
The International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs) are data sheets intended to provide essential safety and health information on chemicals concisely. The primary aim of the Cards is to promote the safe use of chemicals in the workplace. The main users are workers and those responsible for occupational safety and health.
The International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs) will be used by the department to disseminate the appropriate hazard information on chemicals at the workplace in an comprehensible and easy manner. To date, 1784 Chemicals Safety Cards are available. The ICSCs are developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) with cooperation of the European Commission and are regularly updated to take account of the latest scientific developments. These cards are helpful for dissemination of the appropriate hazard information on chemicals to industry associations to promote safe use of chemicals in the workplace.
9-Jun-2022: Minister For Labour & Employment Shri Bhupender Yadav Addresses Plenary Session Of International Labour Conference of ILO At Geneva
Union Minister for Labour & Employment Shri Bhupender Yadav addressed the Plenary Session of 110th International Labour Conference (ILC) of ILO at Geneva, today.
Following is the statement of the Minister, delivered at the ILC:
“India has in recent years, introduced technology and simplified systems with the objectives that each worker enjoys dignity and choice of employment with social security. Our Government is providing a unique Universal Account Number to each worker whether in formal or in informal sector to act as a portable identity for continued enjoyment of rights at work.
For evidence based policy making and to ensure last-mile delivery of services to the workers, Government of India, has launched surveys on employment demand, migrant and domestic workers to address the specific needs of such workers in the country.
Workers in formal sector in India are served by two major tripartite organizations called Employees’ Provident Fund Organization and the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation. Both these organisations serve to all kinds of social security benefits including medical treatment, pension, maternity benefit, unemployment etc.
India has a comprehensive institutional framework to provide for decent work. Indian Parliament has recently passed four labour Codes subsuming 29 Central Labour laws which has modernized and simplified the labour laws which have taken into account the future of work and issues of informal sector workers. In view of emerging platform economy, gig and platform workers have been given rights to avail social security benefits for the first time through setting up of a dedicated Social Security Fund. Adequate arrangements for financing of such schemes for informal sector workers have been made by way of contribution from Central Government, provincial Governments, Aggregators and penalties collected.
To address the concerns of informal sector workers, a digital portal in August 2021 was launched to register such workers with the intention to develop a national database. About 280 million workers’ database has already been created with more than 400 occupations of workers. The database would lead to better dissemination of social welfare schemes for informal workers.
During Covid-19, India not only provided free vaccination to its entire population, but also extended free delivery of food and food-grains, health services and assured employment. Under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee programme, about 72 million households availed work under the scheme from April, 2020 to March, 2021 alone.
During this period, a new Scheme was started to incentivise employers to create new jobs and to re-employ those who lost their jobs during pandemic period by paying from the budget shares of both employees’ and employers’ at the rate of 12% of wages. In the same period, cash transfers were made directly to bank accounts of 200 million women during Covid-19 pandemic period.
About 3.2 million street vendors were provided collateral free loans to help them resume their businesses under Swanidhi Scheme.
India has made significant reforms to improve female labour force participation rate. Duration of maternity leave increased from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. Provisions for ‘work from home’ and crèche facility has been made in establishments with 50 or more employees by amending the existing Act.
To facilitate safe and orderly migration and for totalization benefit, India supports signing of labour mobility agreements (LMA) and the social security agreements (SSA). I am happy that ILO is in support of India’s move and also taken positive steps in this direction.”
25-Jun-2021: India’s term as Chairperson of Governing Body of International Labour Organisation comes to an end
Shri Apurva Chandra, Secretary (L&E) completed his tenure as Chair of Governing Body of International Labour Organization today after holding the position for the period October 2020- June 2021. He has handed over the responsibility of the Chair to Ambassador Anna Jardfelt, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations Office in Geneva.
India has assumed the Chairmanship of the Governing Body of International Labour Organization after a gap of 35 years. During India’s Chairmanship, the sessions of the Governing Body held in October 2020 and March 2021 and the 109th session of the International Labour Conference held in June 2021 were conducted through virtual mode. All new and innovative procedures for conducting these meetings were developed during his tenure. Shri Apurva Chandra chaired both the Governing Body sessions, one virtually and the other in person at Geneva. Despite the adverse effects of COVID-19, all meetings of the Governing Body were held successfully.
Besides chairing the sessions of Governing Body, Shri Chandra has also shared India’s position on granting flexibility to member countries in ratifying ILO Conventions. It has been the experience of India that only some provisions come in the way for ratification of a Convention. Therefore, the grant of flexibility to member countries assumes significance as in the long term; it will pave way for harmonious employer-employee relations and will ensure welfare of employees as well. During his tenure, Shri Chandra also stressed on the need for signing Social Security Agreements. He suggested that the member countries should not only initiate dialogue for signing Social Security Agreements bilaterally but also efforts should be made through ILO to sign the Agreements between a few countries in a region. In forums such as BRICS and G-20, multilateral Social Security Agreements should be considered.
Further, India’s path breaking reforms in providing social security to gig and platform workers were highlighted in the international forum, informing the member states about the steps taken by India in evolving the definitions of aggregators, gig and platform workers and also establishing a financing mechanism to provide benefits to gig and platform workers through a Social Security Fund.
In his last address to the Governing Body, besides recommending flexibility for ratification of ILO Conventions and encouraging signing of Social Security Agreements, Shri Apurva Chandra also recommended the member countries to adopt labour standards of ILO in respect of work from home options keeping in view the emerging pandemic and increase in digital footprint at workplace.
23-Oct-2020: After 35 years, India assumes the Chairmanship of the Governing Body of International Labour Organization
After 35 years, India has assumed the Chairmanship of the Governing Body of International Labour Organization, marking a new chapter in the 100 years of productive relationship between India and ILO. Shri Apurva Chandra, Secretary (Labour and Employment) has been elected as the Chairperson of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for the period October 2020- June 2021. The Chairperson of the Governing Body of ILO is a position of international repute.
The Governing Body (GB) is the apex executive body of the ILO which decides policies, programmes, agenda, budget and elects the Director-General. At present ILO has 187 members. Shri Apurva Chandra will be presiding over the upcoming meeting of the Governing Body to be held in November 2020. At Geneva, he would have the opportunity to interact with the senior officials and social partners of the member states. It will also provide a platform to appraise participants of the transformational initiatives taken by Government in removing the rigidities of labour market besides makingits intention clear about universalization of social security to all workers whether in organised or unorganised sector.
Shri Apurva Chandra belongs to the 1988 batch of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Maharashtra Cadre. Shri Chandra has spent more than seven years in the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas in the Government of India. Shri Chandra has worked for over four years between 2013 and 2017 as Principal Secretary (Industries) in the Government of Maharashtra. Shri Apurva Chandra joined as Director General (Acquisition) in Ministry of Defence w.e.f. 01.12.2017 with the mandate of strengthening the Indian Armed Forces by expediting the acquisition process. He chaired the Committee to draft the new Defence Acquisition Procedure. The Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 has come into effect from 1st October 2020 on the day he joined the Ministry of Labour and Employment as Secretary.
7-Feb-2018: Cabinet approves placing the new Instrument adopted by ILO
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for placing the new Instrument adopted by International Labour Organization (ILO) Recommendation concerning “The Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience (No.-205)” before the Parliament. The International Labour Conference of ILO at its 106th Session held in Geneva in June, 2015 adopted the Recommendation. India supported the adoption of Recommendation.
Each member state of ILO is required to submit the instruments so adopted before the competent authority (the Parliament in case of India). The adoption and placing of the Instrument for the information of the Parliament does not create any immediate obligation. An ILO Recommendations is a non-binding instrument which seeks to serve as a guiding principle for national policy process.
The Recommendation provides guidance to member States on the measures to be taken to generate employment and decent work for the purposes of prevention, recovery, peace and resilience with respect to crisis situations arising from conflicts and disasters.
It also emphasizes the need to ensure respect for all human rights and the rule of law, including respect for fundamental principles and rights at work and for international labour standards, in particular those rights and principles relevant to employment and decent work.
The Recommendation affirms the need to develop and strengthen measures of social protection, as a means of preventing crises, enabling recovery and building resilience. It states that Members should adopt a phased multi-track approach implementing coherent and comprehensive strategies for promoting peace, preventing crises, enabling recovery and building resilience. The approach should include promoting local economic recovery for employment and decent work opportunities and socio-economic reintegration, social protection and social inclusion, sustainable development, the creation of sustainable enterprises (in particular small and medium-sized enterprises); ensuring consultation and encouraging active participation of employers' and workers' organizations in planning, implementing and monitoring measures for recovery and resilience.
The Recommendation No. 205 is applicable to all workers and jobseekers, and to all employers, in all sectors of the economy affected by crisis situations arising from conflicts and disasters and to workers engaged in crisis response, including in the immediate response.
