Mainstreaming North Eastern Region into developmental process is a priority for Centre: Labour & Employment Minister

NewsBharati    06-Oct-2017
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Imphal, October 6: Presently North East has been looked upon as the important part of India. Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Labour and Employment while reviewing the meeting in Imphal with labour ministers of North Eastern region, said that mainstreaming the North Eastern Region into the developmental process is a priority for Government of India. 

Recalling his visit to the North Eastern States, Minister Gangwar highlighted its importance to boost the textile industries. Reviewing the meeting, he also expressed his happiness over the detailed and constructive discussion on issues of significant importance. The review meeting focused on issues like implementation of the schemes on child labour, plantation workers, ESIC works, social security schemes, BOC workers cess fund, mines safety, etc, and for further betterment.

 

The Review Meeting was attended by Labour Ministers and Labour Secretaries for North Eastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura and N Biren Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur, inaugurated the meeting. CM N Biren Singh in his address stated the statistics about various measures taken up by his government in the field of improving the worker's conditions of his State. He also profusely thanked The Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar for choosing Manipur for such an important conference.

Minister Gangwar requested the North Eastern States to utilize the BOCW Cess funds of Rs.27, 000 Cr, which is available for the safety, health and welfare of Construction Labourers. He suggested that instead of building infrastructures such as Hostel, Technical Centers and Schools, the states may focus on the Social Security & Welfare Schemes for the Construction Workers. He also requested that the Central Government’s Social Security Schemes like Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana(PMJJBY) could be used effectively for the welfare of the workers.

Shri Gangwar said that he specifically chose North Easter Region Imphal to have his first Regional Review Meeting and said that his ministry is also expanding its footprints in the Region at various levels. ESIC is entering and expanding its coverage here. DGFASLI has already laid the foundation of New Regional Labour Institute at Shillong last year. Tomorrow, V.V.Giri National Labour Institute and Tata Institute of Social Science are entering into a MoU at Guwahati. He emphasized that this collaboration will provide more research in the issue of North Eastern Region and will facilitate better-informed decisions.