The state government is mulling a law to prohibit contract labour system in the state due to a large number of complaints, Karnataka Labour Minister Shivaram Hebbar said on Monday.
Speaking at the Legislative Council, Hebbar said that many employers do not provide ESI or PF benefits to employees. "Due to various issues in the system, we have also discussed a special Bill to prohibit contract labour system. I have already discussed this with the chief minister," he said.
He was responding to a calling attention notice by Congress MLC Arvind Kumar Arali on ensuring minimum wages and basic facilities to labourers.
Later, speaking to DH, Hebbar said that the proposal is to regulate the system by ensuring that all facilities ensured by law are provided to contract labourers. "There is no discussion on prohibiting contract labour system," he said.
Transport workers' board
The government will also table a Bill to set up a welfare board for workers in the transport sector such as drivers, cleaners, mechanics, puncture shop owners and others.
The board will benefit 30-32 lakh labourers, and will be an improved version of similar bodies set up in four states of the country, Hebbar said.
Funds for the board will be raised by imposing cess on new vehicles. Although the proposal for the Board was ready several months ago, it got delayed as the government did not want to burden people during the pandemic, Hebbar said.
Several aspects of the board are being finalised, which include providing compensation of Rs 5 lakh during for accidental deaths, assisting members on education and health expenses incurred, he said.
DH had reported, in March 2021, that the government had plans to levy a new cess that will be used for the welfare of workers in the private transport sector. The draft Karnataka State Motor Transport and other Workers Social Security and Welfare Cess Bill was ready last year itself.
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