AAP government won’t outsource labour

NEW DELHI: In a move aimed at the welfare of workers and ending their exploitation, the AAP government has planned to stop the outsourcing of manpower to private agencies and hire them on the rolls of the departments with which they are engaged.
The decision has been welcomed by thousands of workers, including multi-tasking staff, data entry operators and drivers, who are on the rolls of contracting agencies.
Under this plan, the workers will not face loss of jobs when the system of hiring changes as they will come on the rolls of the government department from the contracting agencies. The decision was taken by labour minister Gopal Rai on recommendations of Delhi Contract Labour Advisory Board (DCLAB). The fifth meeting of the Board was held on Wednesday.
The mandate of the Board is to recommend welfare measures and ensure that contractual workers get their statutory entitlements.
“It has been noticed that the current system of outsourcing leads to non-payment of full provident fund and payment of taxes and charges to the outsourced agency. The abolition of outsourcing of manpower would lead to around 20% savings in taxes and outsourced agency charges,” said Rai.
The government has also decided to hire labour welfare officers for different departments who will address the issues concerning the workers. “To ensure effective supervision, management and compliances under various labour laws, the board has also proposed appointment of labour welfare officers by various departments, which will relieve officers of the department performing extra duties over and above their core duties,” said Rai.
The implementation of the change would first require the approval of the cabinet. “According to the recommendations of DCLAB, the labour department will finalise the modalities and a note will be placed before the cabinet for its consideration,” Rai said.
If the hiring change is approved, the workers will be taken on direct contract and their wages and other entitlements under various labour laws will be compiled by the department itself.
However, sources in the bureaucracy said that the change in the hiring system would not be easy because it is a matter related to services. The LG has already clarified to the elected government that the subject of services continues to be in his preview.
This issue might be a point of a fresh tussle between the AAP government and the LG, sources added. Asked about it, Rai said, “The labour department has to first prepare a note to put it before the cabinet.”