In The Garb Of 'Reviving Economy', UP Govt Scraps Labour Laws For 3 Years

In another major jolt to the migrant workers and labourers in Uttar Pradesh, the state government has passed an ordinance that suspends labour laws for a period of three years, a step claimed to help revive the state's economy amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

The decision was taken in a meeting convened by CM Yogi Adityanath where UP cabinet approved the 'Uttar Pradesh Temporary Exemption from Certain Labour Laws Ordinance, 2020' which temporarily scraps all labour laws in the state, except three, which include abolishment of bonded labour, ex gratia to workers in case of work-related diseases and disabilities and timely wage payments.

All labour laws related to labour unions, settling work disputes, regulations for working conditions, contracts, among others shall be suspended for three years in the state under this ordinance. This includes, The Minimum Wages Act, The Maternity Benefit Act, The Equal Remuneration Act, The Trade Unions Act, The Industrial Employment Act, The Industrial Disputes Act, The Factories Act.

The ordinance includes all the existing industries, manufacturing units and even the new ones that are likely to come up in a few years.

A move that aims at luring industrialists, also focuses on restarting horticultural and economical activities in the state that have been severely affected and slowed down.

Clearing the ordinance, the UP government said in a statement, "For encouraging new investments, setting up new industrial infrastructure and benefit of existing industries and factories, it is imperative that they are provided temporary exempted from the existing labour laws in the state. Therefore, it is important that existing labour laws in Uttar Pradesh are relaxed for a period of three years. To this end 'Uttar Pradesh Temporary Exemption from Certain Labour Laws Ordinance, 2020' has been introduced."

"The idea is that in the present circumstances where we need to provide employment to workers who have migrated back to the state and to protect the existing employment, some flexibility has to be given to business and industry," Business Standard quoted Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary RK Tiwari as saying.

Since labour is a concurrent subject under the Constitution of India, the states can frame their own laws but they also need the approval of the central government, Tiwari said.

Also Read: 15 Migrants Returning Home Crushed To Death By Train In Maharashtra's Aurangabad