The Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur held the Pre-Budget Consultation with the representatives of various Trade Unions and Labour Organisations here today in connection with the forthcoming General Budget 2019-20.

During the course of meeting, representatives of Trade Unions and Labour Organisations shared their views and suggestions regarding labour and employment issues.

Discussions were held on providing social security to labour besides skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling of existing labour force. Quality of job creation and ensuring minimum wages of workers were also discussed in detail besides the issue of rehabilitation of workers who have lost their jobs.

Experts and representatives from various Trade Unions and Labour Organisations gave suggestions related to alignment of skill development with aspirations of rural youth with focus on agriculture; need for strict enforcement of Minimum Wages Act.

They also called for introduction of comprehensive unemployment insurance scheme; revision of ITIs’ syllabus for enhancing employability; provision of social security for contract workers; giving boost to capital intensive industry; conversion of casual/contractual workers to formalised employment.

The representative also urged the minister for fixation of minimum wages on the recommendation of 15th Indian Labour Conference; increase in allocations on social sector and basic essential services like health, education and food security; stopping disinvestment and strategic sale of public sector units.

They demanded extension of MGNREGA to remaining all rural areas and introducing it in urban areas besides increasing number of workdays under the scheme to 200 days and creation of National Fund for Unorganised Workers to provide social security among others.