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Provisions For Platform Workers

Why in News The Code on Social Security, 2020, for the first time in Indian law, attempted to define ‘platform work’ outside of the...

02 Nov 2020 Employment
Sexual Harassment and the Code on Wages

Why in News According to a provision in the Code on Wages 2019, ‘conviction for sexual harassment’ can be a ground for denying bonus...

31 Oct 2020 Employment
Quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey

Why in News Recently, the National Statistical Office (NSO) released the quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for October-December...

30 Oct 2020 Employment
India in BRICS Ministers’ Meeting

Why in News Recently, the BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Virtual Meeting was held under the Russian Presidency. It aimed to discuss...

13 Oct 2020 Employment
National Startup Awards 2020

Why in News The results of the first edition of National Startup Awards (2020) were recently released by the Ministry of Commerce &...

07 Oct 2020 Employment
The Big Picture: The Labour Code Bills

Why In News? Parliament has passed 3 labour code bills aimed at labour welfare reforms covering more than 50 crores organized and unorganized...

07 Oct 2020 Employment
MoU Under PM SVANidhi

Why in News Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Swiggy to onboard...

06 Oct 2020 Employment
EPFO’s New Facility on UMANG App

Why in News Recently, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has started a facility on the Unified Mobile Application for New-age...

29 Sep 2020 Employment
Right Code For Labour

This article is based on Rajya Sabha approves three codes subsuming 25 central labour laws which was published in The LiveMint on 23/09/2020. It...

24 Sep 2020 Employment
MedSpark in Kerala

Why in News Kerala is set to lay the foundation stone for MedSpark, one of the first medical device parks in the country, in...

23 Sep 2020 Employment
Labour Reforms

Why in News Recently, the recent versions of three labour codes namely Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2020, Code on Social Security Bill, 2020 and...

21 Sep 2020 Employment
Support to Self-Employment Schemes: MSME

Why in News The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) has announced expansion of and doubling of support to beneficiary oriented...

18 Sep 2020 Employment
Urban Employment Crisis

This editorial analysis is based on the article “Urban employment as the focal point” which was published in The Hindu on 15th of...

15 Sep 2020 Employment
Ranking of States on Support to Startup Ecosystems: DPIIT

Why in News The Results of the 2nd edition of Ranking of States on Support to Startup Ecosystems were released by the Department for Promotion of...

12 Sep 2020 Employment
National Recruitment Agency

This editorial analysis is based on the article For employers and job aspirants, National Recruitment Agency and CET promise transparency which was...

27 Aug 2020 Employment
Economic Measures Suggested by McKinsey

Why in News Recently, the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) has released a report titled 'India's turning point: An economic agenda to spur growth and...

27 Aug 2020 Employment
Women in Research And Development

Why in News According to the Science and Technology Indicators (STI), 2018, India’s private sector research companies appear to employ a...

21 Aug 2020 Employment
Issues Related to Minimum Wage

Why in News Recently, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has termed the current minimum wage fixing criteria in the Draft Code on Wages...

20 Aug 2020 Employment
National Recruitment Agency

Why in News The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister has decided to set up a National Recruitment Agency (NRA) to conduct a common...

20 Aug 2020 Employment
Jobs Data: CMIE

Why in News Recently, the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) has released data related to jobs gained or lost during the Covid-19 lockdown...

19 Aug 2020 Employment

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		'article_id' => (int) 6903,
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		'title' => 'Provisions For Platform Workers',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/right-code-for-labour#:~:text=The%20social%20security%20code%20replaces,Standing%20Orders)%20Act%2C%201946." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Code on Social Security, 2020,</strong></a> for the first time in Indian law, attempted to define &lsquo;platform work&rsquo; outside of the traditional employment category.</p>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Labour falls under the Concurrent List of the Constitution. Recently, the Parliament passed <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/labour-reforms-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>three labour codes</strong></a> &mdash; on <strong>industrial relations; occupational safety, health and working conditions;</strong> and<strong> social security &mdash;</strong> proposing to simplify the country&rsquo;s archaic labour laws and give impetus to economic activity without compromising with the workers&rsquo; benefits.</li>
<li>These labour codes can have a transformative impact on labour relations in India. Along with the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/code-on-wages-1#:~:text=Code%20on%20Wages%20Act%202019,-The%20new%20wage&amp;text=It%20seeks%20to%20universalizes%20the,legislative%20protection%20of%20minimum%20wage." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &lsquo;Code on Wages Act- 2019&rsquo;</strong></a>, these can significantly ease the conduct of business by amalgamating a plethora of Central and State laws on labour.</li>
<li><strong>Code on Social Security , 2020 has the following provisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This will <strong>replace nine social security laws,</strong> including Maternity Benefit Act, Employees&rsquo; Provident Fund Act, Employees&rsquo; Pension Scheme, Employees&rsquo; Compensation Act, among others.</li>
<li>The code <strong>universalizes social security coverage</strong> to those working in the unorganised sector, such as migrant workers, gig workers and platform workers.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Aggregators,</strong> meaning &ldquo;digital intermediaries or a market place for a buyer or users of a service to connect with the seller or the service provider&rdquo;, are specifically required to contribute to the <strong>social security fund.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For the first time, provisions of social security will also be <strong>extended to agricultural workers also.</strong></li>
<li>The code also <strong>reduces the time limit for receiving gratuity payment</strong> from the continuous service of five years to one year for all kinds of employees, including fixed-term employees, contract labour, daily and monthly wage workers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Platform Work</strong> (as defined by the Code): Platform work means <strong>a work arrangement outside of a traditional employer-employee relationship</strong> in which organisations or individuals use an online platform to access other organisations or individuals to solve specific problems or to provide specific services or any such other activities which may be notified by the Central Government, in exchange for payment.</li>
<li><strong>Significance of Platform Work:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Platform work <strong>promises workers flexibility and ownership</strong> over delivery of work.</li>
<li><strong>Important for delivery of essential services</strong> as seen during <strong>pandemic.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Employment Intensive</strong> Sector.</li>
<li><strong>Potential Sector for growth</strong> due to fast pace of Urbanisation.</li>
<li><strong>Development of rural areas</strong> due to remittances sent by platform workers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issues in the sector:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Though platform work promises workers flexibility and ownership over delivery of work, they are<strong> still largely dictated by mechanisms of control</strong> wired by the algorithm. This affects pricing per unit of work, allocation of work, and hours.</li>
<li><strong>Entry</strong> into on-such platform work like ride sharing and food delivery requires vehicular assets which an average Indian worker lacks. Thus, to enter the platform economy, workers <strong>rely on intensive loan schemes,</strong> often facilitated by platform aggregator companies. This results in dependence on platform companies, driven by financial obligations, thus rendering flexibility and ownership.</li>
<li>Leads to<strong> contractualisation of the workforce</strong> and promotes the <strong>Gig economy.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Gig Economy is a free market system in which temporary positions are common and organizations hire independent workers for short-term commitments. The term <strong>"gig"</strong> is a slang word for a job that lasts a specified period of time.</li>
<li>A company engaging in greater contractualisation often has a <strong>higher turnover rate of personnel,</strong> creating a disruptive operational environment and leading to higher costs of training and higher incidence in costs of errors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Adopting International best practices- Ontario and California have shown a move towards granting employee status to platform workers, thus guaranteeing minimum wage and welfare benefits.</li>
<li>Further, the government needs to ensure easy availability of credit to platform workers.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-secure-future-for-platform-workers/article32998179.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6892,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Sexual Harassment and the Code on Wages',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to a provision in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/code-on-wages-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Code on Wages 2019</strong></a>, <strong>&lsquo;conviction for sexual harassment&rsquo;</strong> can be a<strong> ground for denying bonus payouts</strong> to employees.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Central government published the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/issues-related-to-minimum-wage#:~:text=The%20Code%20on%20Wages%2C%202020,be%20fixed%20by%20state%20governments." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Draft Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2020</strong></a> in July 2020 and placed it in the public domain inviting objections and suggestions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Code lays down norms for annual bonus dues that accrue to employees, replacing the <strong>Payment of Bonus Act, 1965,</strong> which bars bonus dues only in case of fraud, violent conduct and theft or sabotage.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Payment of Bonus Act, 1965:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>minimum bonus</strong> payable is <strong>8.33% of the salary or wage</strong> earned by the employee during the accounting year subject to a <strong>maximum of 20</strong>% of such salary or wage and is<strong> applicable to all employees earning a salary of up to Rs. 21,000 a month.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Section 29 of the Code</strong> states that &ldquo;Notwithstanding anything contained in this Code, an employee shall be disqualified from receiving bonus under this Code, if he is dismissed from service for fraud or riotous or violent behaviour while on the premises of the establishment or theft, misappropriation or sabotage of any property of the establishment or conviction for sexual harassment.&rdquo;<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> salary and bonus payment limits are yet to be notified</strong> under the Code on Wages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Other <strong>disqualification triggers are explicitly restricted to actions on an employer's premises,</strong> the trigger referring to conviction under sexual harassment does not include such a condition about the location of the incident.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As of now,<strong> it is not clear if sexual harassment incidents or related crimes against women outside the workplace could lead to dismissal</strong> of employees with loss of bonus payments but it should come under the purview irrespective of where it is done.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of the Move:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is a huge step to<strong> get people to be on their best behaviour</strong> in the workplace as the prospect of losing one&rsquo;s benefits may make employees more careful of their conduct.</li>
<li>This is also a step forward <strong>towards creating seriousness about instances of sexual harassment</strong> at the workplace and in general.</li>
<li>This move will serve as an additional deterrent apart from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/j-s-verma-committee-on-sexual-harassment-at-workplace-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Prevention Of Sexual Harassment (POSH) law of 2013.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Code on Wages Act, 2019</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-code-on-wages-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>new wage code</strong></a> <strong>removes the multiplicity of wage definitions,</strong> which can significantly reduce litigation as well as compliance cost for employers.</li>
<li>It links minimum wage across the country to the <strong>skills of the employee</strong> and the <strong>place of employment.</strong></li>
<li>It seeks to<strong> universalise the provisions</strong> of minimum wages and their timely payment to all employees irrespective of the sector and wage ceiling.</li>
<li>It seeks to ensure <strong>Right to Sustenance for every worker and intends to increase the legislative protection</strong> of minimum wage.</li>
<li>A <strong>National Floor Level Minimum Wage</strong> will be set by the Centre and will be<strong> revised every five years,</strong> while states will fix minimum wages for their regions, which cannot be lower than the floor wage.</li>
<li>It <strong>subsumes the following four labour laws:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Payment of Wages Act, 1936</li>
<li>Minimum Wages Act, 1948</li>
<li>Payment of Bonus Act, 1965</li>
<li>Equal Remuneration Act, 1976</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Prevention Of Sexual Harassment Law 2013</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Under it, sexual harassment includes<strong> any one or more of the following unwelcome acts or behaviour</strong> (whether directly or by implication):<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Physical contact and advances.</li>
<li>Demand or request for sexual favours.</li>
<li>Making sexually coloured remarks.</li>
<li>Showing pornography.</li>
<li>Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>As per the POSH law guidelines, firms are required to form an <strong>Internal Complaints Committee</strong> (ICC) to <strong>inquire into complaints of sexual harassment</strong> at the workplace.</li>
<li>ICC is required to<strong> make recommendations</strong> to employers on the action required pursuant to its inquiry in such complaints.</li>
<li>If the ICC upholds a complaint, it<strong> could be interpreted as a conviction</strong> and ICC has the<strong> powers to decide if someone is guilty and report it further to the police,</strong> though not all sexual harassment cases translate into a police case.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/new-rules-bar-bonus-for-those-facing-sex-abuse-charges/article32985691.ece#:~:text=The%20new%20Code%2C%20expected%20to,conduct%20and%20theft%20or%20sabotage." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6886,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>National Statistical Office (NSO)</strong> released the <strong>quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)</strong> for October-December 2019.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This dataset differs from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/periodic-labour-force-survey-2018-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Annual Report of Periodic Labour Force Survey</strong></a>, which covers <strong>both rural and urban areas.</strong> However, unemployment data for urban areas is released quarterly.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Unemployment Rate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It eased in urban areas to 7.9% in October-December 2019 compared to 9.9% in October-December 2018.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, state-wise data showed that<strong> urban unemployment rate was higher than the national average</strong> in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Telangana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Female unemployment rate</strong> decreased to 9.8% in October-December 2019 compared to 12.3% in October-December 2018.</li>
<li><strong>Male unemployment rate</strong> moderated to 7.3% in October-December 2019 from 9.2% in October-December 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Labour Force Participation Rate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It rose to 37.2% in October-December 2019 from 36.3% in October-December 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>PLFS is India&rsquo;s first computer-based survey launched by the National Statistical Office (NSO) in 2017.</li>
<li>It has been constituted based on the recommendation of a committee headed by <strong>Amitabh Kundu.</strong></li>
<li>PLFS has two fold objective:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To estimate the key employment and unemployment indicators (viz. <strong>Worker Population Ratio, Labour Force Participation Rate, Unemployment Rate)</strong> in the<strong> short time interval of three months</strong> for the <strong>urban areas only</strong> in the <strong>Current Weekly Status (CWS).</strong></li>
<li>To estimate <strong>employment and unemployment indicators</strong> in both<strong> usual status</strong> and<strong> CWS</strong> in both <strong>rural and urban areas annually.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Before PLFS, the NSSO (previous name of NSO) used to bring the data related to <strong>employment and unemployment</strong> based on its <strong>quinquennial (every 5 year) household socio-economic survey programme.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Key Terms</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Unemployment Rate (UR):</strong> UR is defined as the percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the labour force.</li>
<li><strong>Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR):</strong> LFPR is defined as the percentage of persons in the labour force (i.e. working or seeking or available for work) in the population.</li>
<li><strong>Worker Population Ratio (WPR):</strong> WPR is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population.</li>
<li><strong>Activity Status:</strong> The activity status of a person is determined on the basis of the activities pursued by the person during the specified reference period.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Usual Status:</strong> The activity status determined on the basis of the reference period of the last 365 days preceding the date of survey, it is <strong>known as the usual activity status</strong> of the person.</li>
<li><strong>Current Weekly Status (CWS):</strong> The activity status determined on the basis of a reference period of the last 7 days preceding the date of survey is <strong>known as the current weekly status (CWS)</strong> of the person.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>National Statistical Office</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NSO is the <strong>central statistical agency of the Government</strong> mandated under the <strong>Statistical Services Act</strong> 1980 under the <strong>Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.</strong></li>
<li>It is responsible for the development of arrangements for<strong> providing statistical information services</strong> to meet the needs of the Government and other users for information on which to base policy, planning, monitoring and management decisions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The services include collecting, compiling and disseminating official statistical information.</li>
<li>All business operations in NSO are done in compliance with<strong> international standards, procedures and best practices.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/oct-dec-2019-urban-joblessness-eases-labour-activity-rises-6909215/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6715,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India in BRICS Ministers’ Meeting',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/5th-brics-culture-ministers-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BRICS</strong></a> <strong>Labour and Employment Ministers&rsquo; Virtual Meeting</strong> was held under the <strong>Russian Presidency.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It aimed to discuss various <strong>issues including approaches to creating a safe work culture in BRICS countries.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Emphasis on Health of Workers:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was highlighted that<strong> health, welfare and improved working conditions</strong> are essential for the well-being of the workers. A healthy workforce in the country would be more productive and contribute to economic growth.</li>
<li>The <strong>aspects of occupational safety and health measures</strong> to mitigate the impact of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> have also acquired significance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India <strong>called for suitable global action</strong> especially by BRICS towards effecting a <strong>balance between labour and employer</strong> which will generate growth and create more jobs and greater labour welfare.</li>
<li>India also<strong> highlighted the importance of digitisation and technological advancements</strong> like <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>artificial intelligence</strong> </a>(AI) and <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/policy-watch-robotics-and-automation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>robotics</strong></a> in reshaping lives and work, with a direct or indirect effect on the labour market.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Digitisation also <strong>offers the opportunity</strong> for governments, individuals and businesses<strong> to cope with the changing scenarios after the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-whohttps://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India underscored that the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/how-to-regulate-the-digital-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>digital economy</strong></a> is changing the world of work, hence <strong>regular studies by the BRICS Network Research Institutes</strong> will facilitate a <strong>better understanding</strong> of the aspects of future of work and supplement policymaking.</li>
<li>India is committed to <strong>eradicate <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/poverty-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poverty</a></strong> and <strong>promote prosperity</strong> in a changing world and hence adopted a multi-dimensional strategy to eliminate poverty by covering most of the basic services and fulfil the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals</strong></a> of <strong>No Poverty</strong> (SDG-1).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Initiatives Highlighted by India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/right-code-for-labour" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code Bill, 2020:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Provides a dynamic and effective framework of occupational safety and health at the workplace and covers legal provisions of all sectors.</li>
<li>Envisages safety standards for different sectors, focusing on the health and working condition of workers, hours of work, leaves, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-the-labour-code-bills" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Social Security Code Bill, 2020:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Universalises social security coverage</strong> to those working in the unorganised sector, such as migrant workers, gig workers and platform workers.</li>
<li><strong>Recognises emerging forms of work</strong> by defining terms like an aggregator, gig worker and platform worker, and extends social protection to such workers through a <strong>separate Social Security Fund</strong> wherein the contribution from aggregators would be deposited.</li>
<li>Provisions of social security will also be<strong> extended to agricultural workers.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/labour-reforms-1#:~:text=Social%20Security%20Code%20Bill%2C%202020,gig%20workers%20and%20platform%20workers." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2020:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Sets up <strong>Grievance Redressal Committees</strong> for resolution of disputes arising out of employees&rsquo; grievances.</li>
<li>Also sets up a reskilling fund to help skill retrenched workers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/pm-kisan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Provides direct income support to farmers for easing their liquidity needs to facilitate timely access to inputs.</li>
<li>Aiding modernisation and makes farmers competitive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharat-abhiyan-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Protects the economy from the<strong> adverse impact of the Covid-19 crisis.</strong></li>
<li>Measures include opening a credit line for micro, small and medium enterprises to meet their operational expenses, subsidising the social security contributions of workers, extending unemployment benefit to workers, financial assistance to construction workers, collateral-free working capital loan to approximately 5 million street vendors, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Related Schemes:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mgnrega-and-migrant-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-rural-economic-transformation-project-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Livelihood Mission.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>All countries need to work together in finding feasible and sustainable solutions to the issues and challenges faced by the future of the labour force in the digital economy so that everyone can get the flexible employment opportunities without compromising the fundamental rights.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1663547" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6669,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'National Startup Awards 2020',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>results of the first edition of National Startup Awards</strong> (2020) were recently released by the <strong>Ministry of Commerce &amp; Industry.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Startup India Showcase and Blockchain-based Certificate Verification System</strong> were also launched during the event.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Startup Awards:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Designed by:</strong> Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce &amp; Industry.</li>
<li><strong>Aim:</strong> To<strong> recognize and reward outstanding Startups and ecosystem enablers</strong> that are building innovative products or solutions and scalable enterprises, with high potential of<strong> employment generation or wealth creation,</strong> demonstrating measurable<strong> social impact.</strong></li>
<li><strong>12 Sectors:</strong> The Awards invited applications across 12 sectors, which are Agriculture, Education, Enterprise Technology, Energy, Finance, Food, Health, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-industrial-revolution-4-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Industry 4.0</strong></a>, Space, Security, Tourism and Urban Services.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Apart from these, startups were selected from those which create impact in<strong> rural</strong> areas, are <strong>women-led</strong> and founded in <strong>academic campuses</strong> (3 special categories).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prize:</strong> The <strong>winning startup founders</strong> will get a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh and an opportunity to present their solutions to relevant public authorities and corporates. <strong>Incubators and accelerators</strong> will get Rs. 15 lakh as the winning amount.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A <strong>total of 38 startups were awarded,</strong> one in each of the 35 categories and 3 special categories in the 12 sectors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Startup India Showcase:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is part of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-start-up-india-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Startup India</strong></a> portal intended to be an online discovery platform for the most promising startups of the country.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Government of India has initiated the Startup India Scheme in 2016.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>startups showcased here shall be handpicked by experts</strong> and will span across different sectors like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/daily-updates-news-editorials-the-challenges-for-fintech-adoption-in-India" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FinTech</strong></a>, EdTech, Social Impact among others.</li>
<li>The showcase will <strong>help industry, investors and public authorities find and connect with startups</strong> for potential partnerships, investments and public procurement respectively.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/blockchain-technology-in-voting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blockchain</a>-based Certificate Verification System:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will enable instant verification and access to certificates of recognitions issued by DPIIT.</li>
<li>This feature introduces an added layer of<strong> security to the startup certificates.</strong></li>
<li>It can be accessed by Government Departments, procurement entities, investors, and other third parties to verify status of recognized startups for accessing different opportunities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Related News:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, DPIIT also released the results of the 2<sup>nd</sup> edition of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ranking-of-states-on-support-to-startup-ecosystems-dpiit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Ranking of States on Support to Startup Ecosystem</strong> </a>in which Gujarat performed best among all States.</li>
<li>DPIIT has also released the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ease-of-doing-business-rankings-of-the-states-dpiit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ease of Doing Business Rankings of the States-2019</strong></a> in which Andhra Pradesh topped.</li>
<li>Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance tabled a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/parliamentary-committee-report-on-startups" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>report related to startups</strong></a> in Parliament.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The awards will generate excitement and enthusiasm among the young entrepreneurs in taking their innovative ideas to the higher levels and propel the startups to expand and serve new geographies and large numbers of people.</li>
<li>This will help in generation of employment and achieving the goal of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharat-abhiyan-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhat Bharat</strong></a> (Self Reliant India).</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1662079" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source :PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6666,
		'category_id' => (int) 15,
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: The Labour Code Bills',
		'description' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bBdQLloDm5Q" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why In News?</h3>
<p>Parliament has passed 3 labour code bills aimed at labour welfare reforms covering more than 50 crores organized and unorganized workers in the country. This opens up the doors for social security to those in the self-employment sector. These three Bills are</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Social Security Code, 2020.</li>
<li>Code on Occupational Safety, Health &amp; Working Conditions Code, 2020</li>
<li>Industrial Relations Code, 2020</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The bills are believed to be the watershed movement for labour law energy as for the first time, the migrant workers, gig workers are included and doors for social security to those in the self-employment sector are also opened.</li>
<li>The reforms cover more than 50 crore organised and unorganised workers in the country</li>
<li>The two new provisions are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The company will provide the retrenched worker with 15 days of wages last drawn by him to reskill himself.</li>
<li>Any worker who has served even less than a term of 5 years to a company will get proportionate gratuity.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Gratuity</strong> is given by the employer to his/her employee for the services rendered by him/her during the period of employment. It is usually paid at the time of retirement but can be paid earlier, provided certain conditions are met.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The fourth code, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/code-on-wages-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Code on Wages</strong></a> was also included, but it had already been passed.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Code on Wages</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>wage code</strong> removes the multiplicity of wage definitions, which can significantly reduce litigation as well as compliance cost for employers.</li>
<li>The act links minimum wage across the country to the <strong>skills of the employee and the place of employment.</strong></li>
<li>It seeks to universalize the provisions of minimum wages and timely payment of wages to all employees irrespective of the sector and wage ceiling.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It seeks to <strong>ensure "Right to Sustenance" for every worker</strong> and intends to increase the legislative protection of minimum wage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A <strong>National Floor Level Minimum Wage</strong> will be set by the Centre and will be revised every <strong>five years,</strong> while states will fix minimum wages for their regions, which cannot be lower than the floor wage.</li>
<li>It subsumes the following four labour laws:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Payment of Wages Act, 1936</li>
<li>The Minimum Wages Act, 1948</li>
<li>The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965</li>
<li>The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Salient Features of the Three Codes</h3>
<p><strong>A. Social Security Code, 2020</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Provision has been made to formulate various schemes for providing comprehensive social security to workers in the unorganised sector. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A &ldquo;Social Security Fund&rdquo; will be created on the financial side in order to implement these schemes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Work to bring newer forms of employment created with the changing technology like <strong>&ldquo;platform worker or gig worker&rdquo;</strong> into the ambit of social security has been done in the Social Security Code</li>
<li>With the aim of making a <strong>national database</strong> for <strong>unorganised sector</strong> workers, registration of all these workers would be done on an online portal and this registration would be done on the basis of Self Certification through a simple procedure. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It would facilitate the extension of benefits of various social security schemes to beneficiaries in the unorganised sector.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>B. Occupational Safety, Health &amp; Working Conditions Code, 2020</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Free health checkup once a year by the employer for workers which are more than a certain age.</li>
<li>Legal right for getting an Appointment Letter given to workers for the first time.</li>
<li>Cine Workers have been designated as Audio Visual Worker, so that more and more workers get covered under the OSH code (The Cine-Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1981). Earlier, this security was being given to artists working in films only.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>C. Industrial Relations Code, 2020</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Provision for accumulation of one day leave for every 20 days worked, when work has been done for 180 days instead of 240 days.</li>
<li>In the event of death of a worker or injury to a worker due to an accident at his workplace, at least 50 % share of the penalty would be given. This amount would be in addition to Employees Compensation.</li>
<li>Inspector to be now made as Inspector &ndash; cum- Facilitator and introduction of Random, Web Based Inspection System to remove to Inspector Raj.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Benefits of Labour Codes</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Consolidation and simplification of the Complex laws:</strong> The three Codes simplify labour laws by subsuming 25 central labour laws that have been on the table for at least 17 years.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will provide a big boost to industry &amp; employment and will reduce multiplicity of definition and multiplicity of authority for businesses.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Single Licensing Mechanism:</strong> The codes provide for a single licensing mechanism. It will give fillip to industries by ushering in substantive reform in the licensing mechanism. Currently, industries have to apply for their licence under different laws.</li>
<li><strong>Easier Dispute resolution:</strong> The codes also simplify archaic laws dealing with industrial disputes and revamp the adjudication process, which will pave the way for early resolution of disputes.</li>
<li><strong>Ease of Doing Business:</strong> According to the industry and some economists such reform shall boost investment and improve ease of doing business. It drastically reduces complexity and internal contradictions, increases flexibility &amp; modernizes regulations on safety/working conditions</li>
<li><strong>Other benefits for Labour:</strong> The three codes will promote fixed term employment, reduce influence of trade unions and expand the social security net for informal sector workers.</li>
<li><strong>Gender parity:</strong> Women have to be permitted to work in every sector at night, but it has to be ensured that provision for their security is made by the employer and consent of women is taken before they work at night.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The maternity leave is increased from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. women were allowed to work in mines under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-18th-january-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY).</strong></a></li>
<li>Pay parity to women workers as compared to their male counterparts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A very robust, reliable and fairly decent social security package needs to be created for workers of unorganised sectors as well.</li>
<li>The proposal of increasing the compensation amount of the retrenched employee should be taken into account; increased from 15 days of a salary to 45 days of salary.</li>
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		'article_id' => (int) 6665,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'MoU Under PM SVANidhi',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the<strong> Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs</strong> (MoHUA) has entered into a <strong>Memorandum of Understanding</strong> (MoU) with <strong>Swiggy</strong> to onboard street food vendors on its <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/e-commerce-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>e-commerce</strong></a> platform.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This move is a part of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pm-svanidhi-micro-credit-scheme-for-street-vendors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Prime Minister Street Vendor&rsquo;s Atmanibhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme.</strong></a></li>
<li>An <strong>updated and modified version of PM SVANidhi Dashboard,</strong> which facilitates users not only with a better granular view of the scheme&rsquo;s performance but also with additional tools for comparisons, has also been launched.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The MoU will <strong>give the vendors online access to thousands of consumers</strong> and help them grow their businesses.</li>
<li><strong>Aim:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To <strong>radically transform the business of street vendors</strong> across cities, by facilitating them to<strong> receive orders and serve customers using online mode</strong> of business.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It becomes important during the ongoing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic</a> where physical distancing is the key to check it&rsquo;s spread.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>To <strong>empower street vendors with digital technology and facilitate greater income-earning opportunities</strong> through e-commerce platforms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Phased Implementation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In a first of its kind initiative, MoHUA and Swiggy will run a <strong>pilot program by on-boarding 250 vendors</strong> across <strong>five cities</strong> namely <strong>Ahmedabad, Chennai, Delhi, Indore, and Varanasi.</strong></li>
<li>Upon the successful completion of the pilot, MoHUA and Swiggy <strong>plan to expand this initiative across the country in phases.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Key Stakeholders:</strong> MoHUA, Municipal Corporations, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/food-safety-and-standards-authority-of-india-fssai" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food Safety and Standards Authority of India</strong></a> (FSSAI), Swiggy and<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/goods-and-services-tax-gst-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Goods and Services Tax</strong></a> (GST) officials.</li>
<li><strong>Assistance:</strong> The street vendors will be helped with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pan-aadhaar-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Permanent Account Number</strong></a> (PAN) and FSSAI registration, training on technology/partner app usage, menu digitisation and pricing, hygiene and packaging best practices.</li>
</ul>
<h3>PM SVANidhi Scheme</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was announced as a part of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/economic-stimulus-ii" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Economic Stimulus-II</strong></a> under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.</strong></a></li>
<li>It has been implemented since <strong>1<sup>st</sup> June 2020,</strong> for providing affordable working capital loan to street vendors to <strong>resume their livelihoods that have been adversely affected due to Covid-19 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lockdowns</a>,</strong> with a sanctioned <strong>budget of Rs. 700 crore.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Aims:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To <strong>benefit over 50 lakh street vendors</strong> who had been vending on or before 24<sup>th</sup> March 2020, in urban areas including those from surrounding peri-urban/rural areas.</li>
<li>To <strong>promote digital transactions</strong> through cash-back incentives up to an amount of Rs. 1,200 per annum.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Features:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>vendors can avail a working capital loan of up to Rs. 10,000,</strong> which is <strong>repayable in monthly instalments</strong> in the<strong> tenure of one year.</strong></li>
<li>On timely/early repayment of the loan, an <strong>interest subsidy of 7% per annum will be credited</strong> to the bank accounts of beneficiaries through <strong>Direct Benefit Transfer</strong> on a quarterly basis.</li>
<li>There will be<strong> no penalty on early repayment</strong> of the loan. The vendors can avail the facility of the enhanced credit limit on timely/early repayment of the loan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recent Developments:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As of<strong> October 2020, over 20 lakh loan applications have been received</strong> under the scheme and out of these over 7.5 lakh loans have been sanctioned.</li>
<li><strong>However, only 2 lakh applicants have received the money so far, </strong>with officials and applicants pointing to a number of hurdles that are slowing the process.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Several banks are <strong>seeking applications on stamp papers</strong> worth between Rs. 100 and Rs. 500.</li>
<li>There have also been instances of banks<strong> seeking PAN cards and even checking the CIBIL or Credit score of applicants or state authorities asking for voter ID cards,</strong> which many migrant vendors do not carry with them.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>CIBIL score is an <strong>evaluation of one's credit history </strong>and<strong> determines their eligibility for a loan.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There have also been complaints of harassment by police and municipal officials.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Solutions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>States should be asked to<strong> ensure that street vendors are not harassed</strong> by the authorities as all they are asking is a right to livelihood.</li>
<li>The Centre has also decided to<strong> send the applications directly to bank branches listed by the applicant as a &ldquo;preferred lender&rdquo;</strong> or where the vendor holds a savings bank account.</li>
<li>A <strong>software has also been developed</strong> that can &ldquo;push&rdquo; around 3 lakh applications to the banks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1661766" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6618,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'EPFO’s New Facility on UMANG App',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/epfo-disbursed-claims" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Employees' Provident Fund Organisation</strong></a> (EPFO) has started a facility on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unified-mobile-application-for-new-age-governance-umang-mobile-app" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance (UMANG) App</strong></a> which enables members of the<strong> Employees&rsquo; Pension Scheme (EPS) 1995</strong> to apply online for Scheme Certificates.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>EPS is a<strong> social security scheme</strong> that was launched in <strong>1995</strong> and is provided by EPFO.</li>
<li>It makes <strong>provisions for pensions for the employees in the organised sector</strong> aft er the<strong> retirement at the age of 58 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Scheme Certificate:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is issued to <strong>members who withdraw their <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/epf-redefined" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Employees' Provident Fund&nbsp;</a></strong>(EPF) <strong>contribution but wish to retain their membership</strong> with EPFO, to avail pension benefits on the attainment of retirement age.</li>
<li>Members become eligible for pension only if they have been, <strong>cumulatively, a member of the EPS, 1995 for at least 10 years.</strong></li>
<li>Upon joining a new job, Scheme Certificate <strong>ensures that previous pensionable service is added to pensionable service rendered with the new employer</strong> thereby, increasing the number of pension benefits.</li>
<li>Further, Scheme Certificate is also<strong> useful for family members to avail family pension,</strong> in case of the untimely death of the eligible member.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Requirements for Online Application:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For availing the service, an <strong>active Universal Account Number</strong> (UAN) and a <strong>mobile number registered with the EPFO</strong> is required.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The online application will help <strong>members avoid unnecessary hardship of physically applying</strong> for it, especially during <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic</strong></a> times and will also <strong>eliminate unnecessary paperwork.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Role of EPFO in Current Times:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>EPFO was <strong>already providing 16 services on the App</strong> allowing EPF subscribers to access services during <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> from the comfort of their homes in a hassle-free manner.</li>
<li>By <strong>successfully bringing state-of-the-art technology to the doorstep</strong> of its subscribers, EPFO has <strong>remained to be a very popular service provider</strong> on UMANG App.</li>
<li>With India witnessing massive growth in digital connectivity through mobile phones, <strong>EPFO is making more and more services digitally accessible to members even in remotest locations</strong> through the App.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>UMANG App</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>unified, secure, multi-channel, multi-platform, multi-lingual, multi-service mobile app.</strong></li>
<li>It is developed by the <strong>Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology</strong> (MeitY) and <strong>National e-Governance Division</strong> (NeGD) to drive mobile governance under <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Digital India.</strong></a></li>
<li>It <strong>provides a single platform to citizens for accessing pan India <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/e-governance-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">e-Government</a> services</strong> ranging from central to local government bodies and other citizen-centric services.</li>
<li><strong>Services Provided:</strong> Filing income tax, EPFO services, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aadhar-and-its-voluntary-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aadhar</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/streamlining-of-national-pension-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pension</strong></a>, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-primary-education-challenges-and-opportunities" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ePathshala</strong></a>, e- Land Records, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/revamp-of-the-crop-insurance-schemes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Crop Insurance</strong></a> etc.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Employees&rsquo; Provident Fund Organisation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a government organisation that <strong>manages the provident fund and pension accounts for the workforce engaged in the organized sector</strong> in India.</li>
<li>It implements the <strong>Employees&rsquo; Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Act provides for the institution of provident funds for employees in factories and other establishments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is administered by the <strong>Ministry of Labour and Employment.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>one of the world's largest social security organisations</strong> in terms of clientele and the volume of financial transactions undertaken.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1659774#:~:text=The%20ease%20of%20applying%20for,benefit%20over%205.89%20crore%20subscribers." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6578,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Right Code For Labour',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/rajya-sabha-approves-three-labour-codes-merging-25-central-labour-laws-11600849923026.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rajya Sabha approves three codes subsuming 25 central labour laws</strong></a> which was published in The LiveMint on 23/09/2020. It evaluates the three labour codes recently passed by the parliament.</p>
</div>
<p>Labour falls under the Concurrent List of the Constitution. Recently, the Parliament passed <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/labour-reforms-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>three labour codes</strong> </a>&mdash; on<strong> industrial relations; occupational safety, health and working conditions; </strong>and<strong> social security &mdash;</strong> proposing to simplify the country&rsquo;s archaic labour laws and give impetus to economic activity without compromising with the workers&rsquo; benefits.</p>
<p>These labour codes can have a transformative impact on labour relations in India. Along with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/code-on-wages-1#:~:text=Code%20on%20Wages%20Act%202019,-The%20new%20wage&amp;text=It%20seeks%20to%20universalizes%20the,legislative%20protection%20of%20minimum%20wage." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Code on Wages Act- 2019&rsquo;,</strong> </a>these can significantly ease the conduct of business by amalgamating a plethora of Central and State laws on labour.</p>
<p>The labour codes were adopted on the recommendations of the <strong>Second National Commission on Labour (2002),</strong> which suggested consolidating 100 State laws and 40 Central laws across industries, occupations and regions.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #1b264a;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Existing Labour Codes Subsumed</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; background-color: #ebffde;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The social security code replaces nine laws on social security, including the Employees&rsquo; Provident Fund Act, 1952, and the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.</li>
<li>Industrial Relations Code subsumes the Industrial Disputes Act, 1974, the Trade Unions Act, 1926; and Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946.</li>
<li>The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code replaces 13 labour laws.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Key Proposals in the Three Labour Codes</strong></p>
<p><strong>Industrial Relations Code Bill 2020</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The code, among its important provisions, makes it easier for companies to<strong> hire and fire workers.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Companies employing upto 300 workers will not be required to frame rules of conduct for workmen employed in industrial establishments. Presently, it is compulsory for firms employing upto 100 workers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It proposes that workers in factories will have to give a notice <strong>at least 14 days in advance</strong> to employers if they want to go on strike. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Presently, only workers in public utility services are required to give notices to hold strikes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Besides, every industrial establishment <strong>employing 20 or more workers</strong> will have one or more<strong> Grievance Redressal Committees</strong> for resolution of disputes arising out of employees&rsquo; grievances.</li>
<li>The code also proposes setting up of a <strong>reskilling fund</strong> to help skill retrenched workers.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code Bill, 2020</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It spells out duties of employers and employees, and <strong>envisages safety standards</strong> for different sectors, focusing on the health and working condition of workers, hours of work, leaves, etc.</li>
<li>The code also recognises the<strong> right of contractual workers.</strong></li>
<li>The code provides employers the flexibility to employ workers on a fixed-term basis, on the basis of requirement and without restriction in any sector. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>More importantly, it also provides for <strong>statutory benefits</strong> like social security and wages to fixed-term employees at par with their permanent counterparts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It also mandates that no worker will be allowed to work in any establishment for<strong> more than 8 hours a day</strong> or more than<strong> 6 days in a week.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In case of an overtime, an employee should be <strong>paid twice the rate of his/her wage.</strong> It will be applicable to even<strong> small establishments,</strong> which have upto 10 workers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The code also brings in <strong>gender equality</strong> and empowers the women workforce. Women will be entitled to be employed in all establishments for all types of work and, with <strong>consent can work before 6 am and beyond 7 pm</strong> subject to such conditions relating to safety, holidays and working hours. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For the first time, the labour code also<strong> recognises the rights of transgenders.</strong> It makes it mandatory for industrial establishments to provide washrooms, bathing places and locker rooms for male, female and transgender employees.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Code on Social Security Bill, 2020</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This will <strong>replace nine social security laws,</strong> including Maternity Benefit Act, Employees&rsquo; Provident Fund Act, Employees&rsquo; Pension Scheme, Employees&rsquo; Compensation Act, among others.</li>
<li>The code <strong>universalizes social security coverage</strong> to those working in the unorganised sector, such as migrant workers, gig workers and platform workers.</li>
<li>For the first time, provisions of social security will also be<strong> extended to agricultural workers also.</strong></li>
<li>The code also <strong>reduces the time limit for receiving gratuity payment</strong> from the continuous service of five years to one year for all kinds of employees, including fixed-term employees, contract labour, daily and monthly wage workers.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Benefits of Labour Codes</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Consolidation and simplification of the Complex laws:</strong> The three Codes simplify labour laws by<strong> subsuming 25 central labour laws</strong> that have been on the table for at least 17 years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will provide a big boost to industry &amp; employment and will reduce multiplicity of definition and multiplicity of authority for businesses.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Single Licensing Mechanism:</strong> The codes provide for a single licensing mechanism. It will give fillip to industries by ushering in substantive reform in the licensing mechanism. Currently, industries have to apply for their licence under different laws.</li>
<li><strong>Easier Dispute resolution:</strong> The codes also simplify archaic laws dealing with industrial disputes and revamp the adjudication process, which will pave the way for early resolution of disputes.</li>
<li><strong>Ease of Doing Business:</strong> According to the industry and some economists such reform shall boost investment and <strong>improve ease of doing business.</strong> It drastically reduces complexity and internal contradictions, increases flexibility &amp; modernizes regulations on safety/working conditions</li>
<li><strong>Other benefits for Labour:</strong> The three codes will promote fixed term employment, reduce influence of trade unions and expand the social security net for informal sector workers.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Concerns with the Labour codes</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Against the Interests of Employees:</strong> The codes provide the liberty to industrial establishments to <strong>hire and fire their employees at will.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This move might enable companies to introduce arbitrary service conditions for workers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Free Hand to States:</strong> The central government has also attracted criticism that states have been given a <strong>free hand to exempt laws in violation of labour rights.</strong> However, the Union Labour Minister has said the labour issue is in the <strong>Concurrent list</strong> of the Constitution and therefore states have been given the flexibility to make changes as they wish.</li>
<li><strong>Affect Industrial Peace:</strong> Industrial Relation Code proposes that workers in factories will have to give a <strong>notice at least 14 days</strong> in advance to employers if they want to go on strike.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, earlier the <strong>Standing Committee on Labour</strong> had recommended against the expansion of the required notice period for strike beyond the <strong>public utility</strong> services like water, electricity, natural gas, telephone and other essential services.</li>
<li>Further, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh has also opposed the Code, describing it as a clear attempt to diminish the role of trade unions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/periodic-labour-force-survey-2018-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Periodic Labour Force Survey</strong> </a>observes that 71% of regular wage/salaried workers in the non-agriculture sector did not have a written contract, and 50% were without social security cover. The new laws, by simplifying compliance, should create an incentive for workforce formalisation.</p>
<p>The new labour codes will help in increasing the pace of generating good quality jobs to cater to the growing workforce, their rising aspirations and to absorb out-migration of labour from agriculture. This way India can fully be able to capitalize on its inherent labour and skill cost and help a fast economic recovery especially post <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19.</strong></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600948077_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600948077_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="539" height="519" /></strong></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #ebefff;">
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Discuss how recently passed labour codes can have a transformative impact on labour empowerment in India. Also, discuss the challenges associated with the codes.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dLjM-UM8n1I" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/what-labour-needs-6606712/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;What labour needs&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on September 23<sup>rd</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6564,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'MedSpark in Kerala',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Kerala</strong> is set to lay the foundation stone for <strong>MedSpark,</strong> one of the first <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/medical-devices-in-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>medical device</strong> </a>parks in the country, in <strong>Thiruvananthapuram.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Medical devices</strong> include <strong>surgical equipment, diagnostic equipment</strong> like Cardiac Imaging, CT scans, X-ray, Molecular Imaging, MRI and Ultrasound-imaging, <strong>life support equipment</strong> like ventilator, etc. as well as <strong>implants and disposables.</strong></li>
<li>Medical devices, unlike pharmaceuticals, are <strong>dependent on a mix of technologies such as engineering, electronics, material sciences and information technology</strong> (IT).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Established By:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Technical Research Centre for Biomedical Devices Programme</strong> of the <strong>Department of Science and Technology</strong> (DST), Government of India.</li>
<li><strong>Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology</strong> (SCTIMST), an <strong>autonomous institute of the DST.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>SCTIMST has made <strong>substantial contributions to the biomedical devices sector</strong> and is fully aligned with the vision of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharathttps://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharat-abhiyan-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aatmanirbhar Bharat.</strong> </a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd.</strong> (KSIDC) which is the <strong>industrial and investment promotion agency</strong> of the Government of Kerala.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fundings:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Funding from the state and central governments</strong> will meet the capital expenditure and deficit in income against expenses during the initial stages.</li>
<li>The business model for the MedSpark is <strong>self-sustaining</strong> in which its<strong> operational expenses will be generated from its revenue streams.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Functions:</strong> It will<strong> focus on the high-risk medical device sector:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will provide a full range of services for the industry like<strong> research and development support, testing, </strong>and<strong> evaluation</strong> of medical devices.</li>
<li>Create an <strong>enabling support system for</strong> manufacturing support, technology innovation, and knowledge dissemination.</li>
<li><strong>High-risk medical device sector</strong> deals with the category of high-risk devices which include <strong>medical implants and extracorporeal devices</strong> (mechanical organs used in blood purification).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For example, <strong>implantable cardioverter-defibrillator</strong> (a small battery-powered device placed in the chest to monitor heart rhythm and detect irregular heartbeats) <strong>pacemakers, coronary stents, artificial heart valves,</strong> etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These services can be <strong>utilised by the medical device industries</strong> located<strong> within the MedSpark as well from other parts of India.</strong></li>
<li>It will <strong>benefit small and medium-sized medical devices industries,</strong> which dominate the medical devices sector.</li>
<li>It can<strong> leverage the existing advantage of Kerala in the high-risk medical device manufacture</strong> and develop it into the most sought after destination for setting up the medical device industry in India.</li>
<li>It is expected that it would <strong>provide direct employment to 1200 people</strong> and generate up to<strong> 4000-5000 jobs through the supporting industries.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Medical Devices Sector in India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The medical devices industry in India is <strong>valued at USD 5.2 billion,</strong> contributing about <strong>4-5% to the USD 96.7 billion Indian healthcare industry.</strong></li>
<li>Medical devices sector in India is <strong>very small in size as compared to the rest of the manufacturing industry,</strong> though<strong> India is one of the top twenty markets for medical devices</strong> in the world and is the<strong> 4<sup>th</sup> largest market in Asia</strong> after Japan, China, and South Korea.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s medical devices industry is<strong> poised for significant growth in the next five years</strong> and the market size is <strong>expected to reach USD 50 bn by 2025.</strong></li>
<li>India <strong>currently imports 80-90% of medical devices</strong> and the vast majority of which are <strong>unregulated for quality and safety.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>USA, Germany, China, Japan, and Singapore</strong> constitute the<strong> five largest exporters</strong> of high technology medical equipment to India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1657669#:~:text=Pinarayi%20Vijayan%2C%20Chief%20Minister%2C%20Government,a%20pioneer%20in%20this%20field." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'title' => 'Labour Reforms',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the recent versions of three labour codes namely <strong>Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2020, Code on Social Security Bill, 2020</strong> and<strong> Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code Bill, 2020</strong> have been introduced in Lok Sabha.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2020:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has <strong>raised the threshold for the requirement of a standing order</strong> to<strong> over 300 workers</strong> which implies that industrial establishments with up to 300 workers will not be required to furnish a standing order.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946</strong> makes it obligatory for employers of an industrial establishment<strong> where 100 or more workers are employed to clearly define the conditions of employment and rules of conduct for workmen,</strong> by way of standing orders/services rules and to make them known to the workmen employed.</li>
<li>The new provision for standing order will be <strong>applicable for every industrial establishment wherein 300 or more than 300 workers are</strong> employed or were employed on any day of the preceding twelve months.</li>
<li>It was <strong>earlier suggested by the Standing Committee on Labour</strong> which also suggested that the <strong>threshold be increased accordingly in the Code itself</strong> and the words <strong>&lsquo;as may be notified by the Appropriate Government&rsquo; be removed</strong> because reform of labour laws through the executive route is undesirable and should be avoided to the extent possible.</li>
<li>After becoming a law, <strong>orders will not be dependent on whims and fancies of executives of state governments.</strong></li>
<li>Without the need of a standing order in increased industrial establishments due to the raised threshold, the process of<strong> hiring and firing workers will be more flexible and faster for employers which would</strong> result in increased employment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It also introduces <strong>new conditions for carrying out a legal strike.</strong> The time <strong>period for arbitration proceedings has been included</strong> in the conditions for workers before going on a legal strike <strong>as against only the time for conciliation at present.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>No person employed in any industrial establishment shall go on strike<strong> without a 60-day notice and during the pendency of proceedings</strong> before a Tribunal or a <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/tribunals-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Industrial Tribunal</strong></a> and sixty days after the conclusion of such proceedings.</li>
<li><strong>At present,</strong> a person employed in a <strong>public utility service</strong> cannot go on strike unless they give notice for a strike <strong>within six weeks before going on strike or within fourteen days of giving such notice,</strong> which the IR Code now proposes to apply for all the industrial establishments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It has also proposed to set up a<strong> re-skilling fund for training of retrenched workers</strong> with contribution from the employer, of<strong> an amount equal to 15 days last drawn</strong> by the worker.</li>
<li><strong>Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It will<strong> water down the labour rights for workers in small establishments having less than 300 workers</strong> and would <strong>enable companies to introduce arbitrary service conditions</strong> for workers.</li>
<li>It will give <strong>tremendous amounts of flexibility to the employers</strong> in terms of <strong>hiring and firing, dismissal</strong> for alleged misconduct and retrenchment for economic reasons will be completely possible for all the industrial establishments employing less than 300 workers which is complete demolition of employment security.</li>
<li>The new conditions for carrying out a legal strike<strong> elongate the legally permissible time frame</strong> before the workers can go on a legal strike, making a legal strike near impossible.</li>
<li>It has <strong>expanded to cover all industrial establishments</strong> for the required notice period and other conditions for a legal strike <strong>even though the Standing Committee on Labour had recommended against it beyond the public utility services like water, electricity, natural gas, telephone and other essential services,</strong> as <strong>is the case at present.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>mention of &lsquo;other sources&rsquo; for funding the re-skilling fund is vague.</strong> The reskilling fund is <strong>arbitrarily framed</strong> as the Code has no idea from where the funds for the same will come apart from employers&rsquo; contributions.</li>
<li>These<strong> ambiguities are left to the rule-making processes</strong> and the bureaucrats and, further, there are <strong>unclarities over who will reskill the workers and how adequate the funding will be.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Social Security Code Bill, 2020:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It<strong> proposes a National Social Security Board</strong> which shall recommend to the central government for formulating suitable schemes for different sections of unorganised workers, gig workers and platform workers.</li>
<li>Also, <strong>aggregators employing gig workers will have to contribute 1-2% of their annual turnover for social security,</strong> with the total contribution not exceeding 5% of the amount payable by the aggregator to gig and platform workers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code Bill, 2020:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has <strong>defined inter-state migrant workers</strong> as the worker who has come on their own from one state and obtained employment in another state, earning up to Rs. 18,000 a month.</li>
<li>The proposed definition <strong>makes a distinction from the present definition of only contractual employment.</strong></li>
<li>It has <strong>dropped the earlier provision for temporary accommodation</strong> for workers near the worksites and has <strong>proposed a journey allowance,</strong> a lump sum amount of fare to be paid by the employer for to and fro journey of the worker to their native place from the place of their employment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/govts-new-versions-of-labour-codes-key-proposals-and-concerns-6603354/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6512,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Support to Self-Employment Schemes: MSME',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-micro-small-and-medium-enterprises" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises</strong></a> <strong>(MSME)</strong> has announced expansion of and doubling of support to beneficiary oriented Self-Employment schemes aimed at contributing to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharat-abhiyan-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.</strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The government will provide assistance to artisans engaged in<strong> Pottery Activity and Beekeeping Activity.</strong></li>
<li>Previously, the Ministry of MSME approved a programme for the benefit of artisans involved in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/initiative-under-gramodyog-vikas-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>manufacturing of Agarbatti under the Gramodyog Vikas Yojana.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Pottery Activity:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The assistance includes<strong> technical knowhow, quality standardization of products, skill-development to <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/self-help-groups-shgs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Self Help Groups</a> (SHGs), encouragement to the successful traditional potter to set up units</strong> under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pmegp-and-cgtmse" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Prime Minister&rsquo;s Employment Generation Programme</strong></a> (PMEGP) scheme, necessary market linkages by tying up with exports and large buying houses etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>PMEGP is a <strong>credit-linked subsidy scheme</strong> which promotes self-employment through setting up of micro-enterprises.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It also includes setting up of clusters in <strong>Terracotta, Red clay pottery,</strong> with new innovative value added products to build pottery to crockery/tile making capabilities under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/support-and-outreach-initiative-for-msme-sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SFURTI scheme.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI)</strong> aims to make traditional industries more productive and competitive by organizing the traditional industries and artisans into<strong> clusters.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Terracotta</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Terracotta is a type of ceramic pottery, made by baking terracotta clay.</li>
<li>The word &ldquo;terracotta&rdquo; comes from the Italian words for &ldquo;baked earth.&rdquo;</li>
<li>It is often used for making pipes, bricks, and sculptures.</li>
<li>Recently, a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/terracotta-grinder" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Terracotta Grinder</strong></a> was launched at Varanasi by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-7th-may-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).</strong></a></li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gi-tags-to-two-products" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) terracotta</strong></a> has been given the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/potential-of-gis-is-waiting-to-be-tapped" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Geographical Indication (GI) tag.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Terracotta Figurines</strong> were also made during the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/indus-valley-civilization" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indus Valley Civilization.</strong></a> They were either used as toys or objects of worship and represented birds, dogs, sheep, cattle and monkeys. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The famous terracotta figure of the Mother Goddess was discovered in Mohen-jodaro which shows the Mother Goddess as the symbol of fertility and prosperity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Beekeeping Activity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It aims to <strong>create sustainable employment for the beekeepers/farmers,</strong> help artisans adopt <strong>scientific Beekeeping</strong> &amp; Management practices, utilize available natural resources; and <strong>create awareness about the benefits</strong> of beekeeping in cross pollination.</li>
<li>It involves distributing tools and equipment to migrant labourers in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/garib-kalyan-rojgar-abhiyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan</strong></a> (PMGKRA) districts and providing training to the beneficiaries, setting up clusters under the SFURTI Scheme.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>PMGKRA empowers and provides livelihood opportunities to the <strong>returnee<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-migrants-and-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> migrant workers</a> and rural citizens</strong> who have returned to their home states due to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> induced <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/21-days-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>lockdown.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Recently, the Ministry of MSME flagged off <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/apiary-on-wheels" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Apiary on Wheels&rsquo;.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>&lsquo;Apiary on Wheels&rsquo; is a unique concept designed by the KVIC for the easy upkeep and migration of Bee Boxes having live Bee colonies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/beekeeping-development-committee" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Beekeeping Development Committee</strong></a> was also constituted in 2019 under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/r-d-expenditure-ecosystem-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister</strong></a> (EAC-PM) to give recommendations to enhance the contribution of the beekeeping sector for achieving the target of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/doubling-farmers-income-a-promise-to-be-fulfilled-by-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>doubling farmers&rsquo; incomes by 2022.</strong></a></li>
<li>KVIC also launched a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-7th-may-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Honey Mission</strong></a> in 2017 under which it provides awareness, training and <strong>&lsquo;Bee Boxes&rsquo; along with Bee Colonies</strong> to the farmers.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Honey mission was in line with the &lsquo;Sweet Revolution&rsquo;, launched in 2016 to promote beekeeping and associated activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The program will immediately benefit about 1500 artisans, in providing sustainable employment with increased earnings.</li>
<li>Artisans living in <strong>rural areas, Self Help Groups and Migrant workers</strong> will particularly benefit from the program.</li>
<li>In addition to enhancing employment opportunities locally, the programme will also help in<strong> capturing the export market</strong> in such products.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The MSME sector has been badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, especially the rural enterprise owners. In addition to these self-employment schemes, the government can provide tax relief (GST and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gst-council-and-corporate-tax" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>corporate tax</strong></a>), give swift refunds, and provide liquidity to rural India (may be through <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/one-year-of-pm-kisan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PM-Kisan</strong></a>) to boost demand for MSME products.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1655512" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 12 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6490,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Urban Employment Crisis',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial analysis is based on the article <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/urban-employment-as-the-focal-point/article32604143.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Urban employment as the focal point&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu on 15<sup>th</sup> of September 2020. It talks about the employment scenario in present times.</p>
</div>
<p>The contraction of the economy due to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong> </a>has raised concerns about the employment situation in urban areas. While the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/garib-kalyan-rojgar-abhiyaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan&rsquo;</strong> </a>launched in June 2020 could be an immediate relief, the ₹50,000-crore employment scheme may not be a suitable substitute for decent urban jobs.</p>
<p>Further, the pandemic and associated policy responses (unplanned lockdown) have exposed the vulnerability of these urban jobs. Thus, for sustenance for the overall economy, there is a need for policy interventions to revive urban employment generation.</p>
<h3>Threats to Employment</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Slowdown in Major Employment Generating Sector:</strong> The shrinking sectors that have been affected the most &mdash;construction (&ndash;50%), trade, hotels and other services (&ndash;47%), manufacturing (&ndash;39%), and mining (&ndash;23%) &mdash; are those that create the maximum jobs in the economy.</li>
<li><strong>Reverse Migration:</strong> The magnitude of economic slowdown can be exemplified by a wave of massive &lsquo;reverse migration&rsquo; during the early phase of the lockdown whereby millions of workers returned to their home States due to a loss of livelihoods in cities.</li>
<li><strong>Vulnerable Informal Sector:</strong> According to the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-labour-organization" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Labour Organization</strong></a>, of the 535 million labour force in India in 2019, some 398.6 million have poor quality jobs. Further, the lockdown exposed the state of vulnerable employment in urban low-end informal jobs.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Vulnerable employment is characterised by inadequate earnings, low productivity and difficult conditions of work that undermine the basic rights of workers.</li>
<li>The high and persistent incidence of vulnerable employment are a reflection of the nature of the structural transformation process, whereby capital and labour transfer from low to higher value-added sectors.</li>
<li>However, in India capital and labour are moving from low value-added activities in a sector to another sector, but not to higher value-added activities.</li>
<li>This leads to a situation where a large proportion of the jobs being created is of poor quality.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increasing Number of Working Poor:</strong> Despite higher economic growth in recent years, working poors are increasing in India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The service sector-led growth in recent years has intensified this as there is coexistence of strong job creation in some Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-intensive services.</li>
<li>However, along with a significant portion of the jobs being created in &lsquo;traditional low value-added services, where informality and vulnerable forms of employment are dominant.</li>
<li>The poor quality of jobs and high informality are key for the high level of &ldquo;working poors&rdquo;. The <strong>working poor</strong> are working people whose incomes fall below a given poverty line due to low-income jobs and low familial household income.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Mobilising Localised Resources:</strong> Given the scale of urbanisation, the focus on urban employment generation programmes should be in coordination with local governments.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This will require actors at the local level to have more resources at their disposal.</li>
<li>Resource mobilisation could be enabled by the formation of local alliances, involving elected representatives, trade unions, entrepreneurs and community groups</li>
<li>This can also be the key to solving other problems faced by cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Localised Employment-Intensive Investment Policies:</strong> A major local initiative would be to design and implement employment-intensive investment policies. In this pursuit:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Local enterprise formation needs to be an integral part of the strategy, with converging interests for workers and entrepreneurs on issues related to technology and productivity enhancement.</li>
<li>Also, Small and micro enterprises which are the fulcrum of industrialisation, need extra support to balance the interests between labour and capital as neither have collective bargaining powers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prioritising Urban Infrastructure:</strong> There is a need to prioritise urban infrastructure as it accounts for a large share of total investments in the overall economy.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A labour- intensive approach to building municipal infrastructure can be a cost-effective alternative to capital intensive-approach as wage rates are low.</li>
<li>Infrastructure investments would spur employment, generate earnings and contribute to small enterprise formation.</li>
<li>Construction of low-cost housing is another activity that can be carried out using labour-intensive methods, while yielding substantial collateral benefits for urban dwellers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Launching of Urban Employment Scheme:</strong> There is need for immediate launch of an urban employment scheme oriented toward building large-scale medical, health and sanitation infrastructure in cities and towns across India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mgnrega-and-migrant-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MGNREGA</strong></a> can be expanded for urban areas, both in terms of increasing the budgetary allocations and the guaranteed minimum number of days of work.</li>
<li>Other immediate employment generation can be to expand networks of essential services as a part of welfare interventions of State and local governments.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increase Incentives to Reduce Migration:</strong> Focusing on rural development to increase employment opportunities in rural areas and to enhance the provision of services like education, health, electricity and water and sanitation services are effective means to control rural to urban migration.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Given the economic contraction, there is a need to generate more jobs and reduce vulnerabilities by providing decent wages &amp; job security in urban areas. Thus, the present crisis calls for a multi-pronged strategy to tackle the issue of urban jobs.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600166325_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600166325_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #ebf7d5;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;The Covid-19 pandemic and associated policy responses have exposed the vulnerability of the employment scenario in India&rdquo;. Discuss the statement and the role of localised interventions in resolving the unemployment crisis.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VATpruy9CBg" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on<a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/need-to-curb-nsa-misuse-from-cow-slaughter-to-silencing-critics-some-states-have-been-quick-to-invoke-the-law/2081291/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Need to curb NSA misuse&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in the Financial express on September 12<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	(int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6464,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Ranking of States on Support to Startup Ecosystems: DPIIT',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Results of the 2<sup>nd</sup> edition of <strong>Ranking of States on Support to Startup Ecosystems</strong> were released by the <strong>Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (Ministry of Commerce &amp; Industry).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>DPIIT has recently released the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ease-of-doing-business-rankings-of-the-states-dpiit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ease of Doing Business Rankings of the States-2019</strong> </a>based on the State Business Reform Action Plan.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong> The rankings were started with an objective of fostering <strong>competitiveness, mutual learning</strong> and propel States and Union Territories (UTs) to work proactively towards uplifting the startup ecosystem.</li>
<li><strong>Framework:</strong> The 2019 Ranking Framework has <strong>seven broad reform areas consisting of 30 action points</strong> ranging from institutional support, easing compliances, relaxation in public procurement norms, incubation support, seed funding support, venture funding support, and awareness and outreach.</li>
<li><strong>Participation:</strong> 22 States and 3 Union Territories.</li>
<li><strong>2 Categories:</strong> To establish uniformity and ensure standardization in the ranking process, States and UTs have been divided into two groups.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Category Y: All UTs except Delhi and all States in North East India except Assam.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Category X: All other States and UT of Delhi.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Results:</strong> The States and UTs were classified as: Best Performers, Top Performers, Leaders, Aspiring Leaders and Emerging Startup Ecosystems.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Gujarat</strong> was the Best performer in <strong>Category X</strong> followed by Karnata and Kerala. Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu occupied the lowest positions.</li>
<li><strong>Andaman and Nicobar Islands</strong> was the Best performer in <strong>Category Y.</strong> Sikkim secured the bottom place.</li>
<li>Gujarat had secured the Best Performer position previous year as well.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1599902676_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1599902676_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Startup Landscape in India</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1599902722_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1599902722_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Government Initiatives:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-start-up-india-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Start Up India Fund</a>:</strong> Under the Startup India program, the Government created the 'Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) with a corpus of INR 10,000 crore.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/policy-reforms-for-startups" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Policy Reforms for Startups</strong></a>: These include requirement of distributable profits for three years for a company to be eligible to issue shares with differential voting rights.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/start-up-cells" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Start-up Cells</strong></a>: The Cell will work towards redressal of grievances &amp; tax-related issues of Startups with respect to the administration of the Income-tax Act, 1961.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-startup-advisory-council" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Startup Advisory Council</strong></a>: To advise the Centre on measures needed to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and start-ups in the country.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aatmanirbhar-bharat-arise-atal-new-india-challenge" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE-Atal New India Challenge</strong></a>: It is a national initiative to promote research &amp; innovation and increase competitiveness of Indian startups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aim-icrest-niti-aayog" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>AIM-iCREST</strong></a>: It is an Incubator Capabilities Enhancement program launched by <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a> for a Robust Ecosystem focused on creating high performing Startups.</li>
<li>More than <strong>1300 Startups</strong> have been supported by <strong>seed funding</strong> from State Governments. In addition to seed funding, 10 States have created <strong>Venture Funds</strong> or a Fund of funds and 218 startups have been provided with venture funding support.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Seed funding :</strong> It is the initial capital used when starting a business.</li>
<li><strong>Venture Funds:</strong> This generally comes after the seed funding round. It is a means of equity financing for rapidly-growing private companies for expansion or purchase of a company. It is provided by venture capitalists after carefully scrutinizing the projects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The initiative will help in<strong> capacity-building of States</strong> and building a robust Start-up ecosystem in the country for<strong> nurturing innovation and providing opportunities to budding entrepreneurs,</strong> as envisaged by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-start-up-india-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Start-up India Initiative</strong></a> launched in 2016. This is necessary for the country to realize the dream of becoming a 5 trillion dollar economy by 2024.</li>
<li>There is a need to ease the access to funding to Start-ups, especially those from small cities and the need for simplification of regulations. The central and state governments would have to invest heavily in Research &amp; Development and upcoming technologies, to build further on their competitive value addition to this exercise.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1653368" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6315,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'National Recruitment Agency',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This editorial analysis is based on the article <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/modi-national-recruitment-agency-nra-jobs-6571275/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">For employers and job aspirants, National Recruitment Agency and CET promise transparency</a> which was published in the Indian Express on 27th of August 2020. It analyses the newly announced body National Recruitment Agency and its consequences for the students in India.</p>
</div>
<p>The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Modi has decided to set up a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-recruitment-agency-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Recruitment Agency (NRA)</a>. The proposed NRA will conduct a common preliminary examination for various recruitments in the central government.</p>
<p>At present, candidates seeking government jobs have to appear for separate examinations conducted by multiple recruiting agencies for various posts. After the advent of the NRA, the whole process would be unified and will make the cumbersome process easy for students and the agencies.</p>
<h3>National Recruitment Agency (NRA)</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>NRA is a testing agency which would conduct the Common Eligibility Examination (CET) for non-gazetted Group B and C posts.</li>
<li>Initially it will conduct the recruitment examinations for Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) and Staff Selection Commission(SSC) and would gradually expand its operations.</li>
<li>National Recruitment Agency will be a Society registered under the Societies Registration Act,1860.</li>
<li>The NRA will be a specialist body bringing the state-of-the-art technology and best practices to the field of Central Government recruitment.</li>
<li>However, the present recruitment agencies i.e, IBPS, RRB and SSC will remain in place.</li>
<li>Based on the screening done at the CET score level, final selection for recruitment shall be made through separate specialised Tiers (II, III, etc.) of examination which shall be conducted by these respective recruitment agencies.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Composition</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It will be headed by a Chairman of the rank of the Secretary to the Government of India.</li>
<li>The NRA will have representatives from the Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Finance/Department of Financial Services, Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) and Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>The Process</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The examinations will be conducted in 12 languages and will be based on a common curriculum.</li>
<li>There will be a common registration, single fee and gradually the candidates need not travel outside the district to appear for the examination.</li>
<li>There will be a special focus on creating examination infrastructure in the 117 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/aspirational-districts-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aspirational Districts</a>.</li>
<li>A standardised question bank with multiple questions of similar difficulty levels will be created in a central server.</li>
<li>An algorithm will be used to jumble and dole out different questions, so that each candidate receives a different question paper, reducing the chances of cheating and paper leakage.</li>
<li>Scores will be generated quickly, delivered online and be valid for a three-year period.</li>
<li>Students can write the test multiple times as long as they are within the eligible age limit, with their best score being taken into account.</li>
<li>The test will be conducted for three levels i.e, graduate, higher secondary (12<sup>th</sup> pass) and the matriculate (10<sup>th</sup> pass) candidates.</li>
</ul>
<h3>The Need</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>As of now, aspirants have to take different exams that are conducted by various agencies for central government jobs.</li>
<li>According to the Department of Personnel and Training, on an average 2.5 crore to 3 crore aspirants appear for about 1.25 lakh vacancies in the central government every year.</li>
<li>At present, candidates seeking government jobs have to appear for separate examinations conducted by multiple recruiting agencies for various posts.</li>
<li>Candidates have to pay fees to multiple recruiting agencies and also have to travel long distances for appearing in various exams.</li>
<li>Women candidates especially from rural areas face constraints in appearing in multiple examinations as they have to arrange for transportation and places to stay in places that are far away.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Benefits</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Aspirants <strong>do not have to apply and appear separately for multiple recruitment</strong> exams. They will be able to apply once for a single or multiple recruitment exams in various departments and take the Common Eligibility Test (CET).</li>
<li>CET would significantly <strong>reduce the lengthy recruitment cycle</strong> as some of the recruitment departments might decide to skip their tier 2 or second level test and go ahead with the recruitment based on CET score followed by physical tests and medical examination. This will reduce the time taken by the agencies to hire the candidates.</li>
<li>Candidates who clear CET once, will be eligible to attempt for the second level exam thrice (once every year).
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Currently, those who pass the PT and fail in Main exam (tier 2) have to again appear for the PT next year and start afresh. This way, CET will <strong>save their time and energy and will also improve their quality</strong> as they would devote their time for mains exam and not screening exam.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Candidates will have the facility to give a <strong>choice of centres</strong> and they would be allotted the chosen centres, based on availability. They will be given an option to schedule their own tests at their choice centres.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The ultimate aim is to reach a stage wherein candidates can schedule their own tests at Centres of their choice.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Government has sanctioned a sum of Rs 1517.57 crore for the NRA. The expenditure will be undertaken over a period of three years. The cost will also be incurred for setting up exam infrastructure in 117 districts with large numbers of aspirants. The proposal is expected to ease the access to aspirants residing in rural areas.</li>
<li>Candidates especially residing in <strong>hilly and rural areas</strong> will not have to incur additional expenses for travel, boarding, lodging to reach their exam centres that are usually far from their hometown. Single exam will reduce the financial burden on candidates.</li>
<li>Girls generally depend on a guardian (father/brother/ husband) to accompany them in reaching their exam centres if it is far away from their hometown. The location of test centres in every district <strong>would benefit the candidates, particularly women</strong>.</li>
<li>CET would be <strong>available in a number of languages,</strong> benefitting aspirants from different regions of the country. Presently, most of the exams are conducted in English and Hindi languages.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With growing emphasis on transferring services to the private sector, there may be fewer government jobs on offer in the future.</li>
<li>Only 14% of public employment comes under the purview of the Centre (predominantly in railways &amp; defence), with the rest falling within the purview of States. Similar reform is needed at State level.</li>
<li>The long-term relevance of such reforms will depend on the commitment of governments to raise the level of public employment and expand services to the public.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The NRA stands out as a unique model as it marks a paradigm shift in the government recruitment process.</li>
<li>It&rsquo;s also in tune with the Modi government&rsquo;s mantra of <strong>&ldquo;Ease of Living for the Young Job Aspirants&rdquo;</strong> by facilitating ease of recruitment, selection and job placement.</li>
<li>The NRA is a combination of convenience and cost-effectiveness for candidates.</li>
<li>Moreover, the multiple recruitment examinations are a burden on the candidates, as also on the respective recruitment agencies, involving avoidable/repetitive expenditure, law and order, security related issues and venue-related problems.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1598532021_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1598532021_image1.png" width="814" height="458" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #d4fcfa; border-color: #069e97;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%;">
<p><strong><span style="color: #08a39b;">Drishti Mains Question</span><br /><br /></strong>Analyse the need of a National Recruitment Agency in India. Can it bring transformation in the public sector recruitment process.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tladIhkTUzU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/down-but-not-out-the-hindu-editorial-on-islamic-state-presence-in-west-asia-and-north-africa/article32440692.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Down, but not out: On Islamic State&rdquo;</a> which was published on August 26<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	(int) 15 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6306,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Economic Measures Suggested by McKinsey',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>McKinsey Global Institute (MGI)</strong> has released a report titled <strong>'India's turning point: An economic agenda to spur growth and jobs'.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report identifies a reform agenda that could be implemented in the next 12 to 18 months to increase productivity and create jobs.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Data Analysis:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Increasing Workforce:</strong> Given the increasing urbanisation and population trends, there will be<strong> 90 million additional workers</strong> in search of<strong> non-farm jobs by 2030.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Triple Job Creation:</strong> To cater to that, <strong>India will have to triple job creation to 12 million</strong> gainful non-farm jobs per year from the 4 million achieved between 2013 to 2018.</li>
<li><strong>Required GDP Growth:</strong> The<strong> Gross Domestic Product (GDP),</strong> which is set to contract by over 5% in 2020-21, needs to go up to <strong>8-8.5% per annum</strong> for the next decade to create the opportunities in the <strong>post <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19</a> era.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Promising Sectors: Manufacturing</strong> and the <strong>construction</strong> sectors offer the most opportunities for economic growth and also for higher employment.</li>
<li><strong>Risk of Stagnation:</strong> The country risks <strong>a decade of stagnating incomes and quality of life</strong> if urgent steps are not taken to spur growth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Measures Suggested:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Global Shift: Global trends</strong> such as <strong>digitization</strong> and automation, shifting supply chains, urbanization, rising incomes and demographic shifts, and a greater focus on sustainability, health, and safety can become the<strong> hallmarks of the post pandemic economy. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Higher Productivity through Privatisation: Privatisation</strong> of 30 or so of the largest state-owned enterprises to potentially double their productivity.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Government also had a focus on privatisation under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aatmanirbhar Bharat Package.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sector Specific Focus:</strong> Framing <strong>sector-specific pro-growth policies</strong> to attract investment in manufacturing, real estate, agriculture, healthcare and retail.</li>
<li><strong>Labour Reforms:</strong> Creation of <strong>flexible labour markets</strong> for industry with better benefits and safety nets for workers.</li>
<li><strong>Improvement in Infrastructure:</strong> India needs to<strong> unlock supply in land markets</strong> to reduce land costs by 20-25%, enable<strong> efficient power distribution</strong> to reduce commercial and industrial tariffs by 20-25%; and improve the ease and<strong> reduce the cost of doing business.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Going Big:</strong> India needs to<strong> triple its number of large firms</strong> having revenues of over USD 500 million.</li>
<li><strong>Efficient Financing: Streamlining fiscal resources</strong> can deliver USD 2.4 trillion in investment while boosting entrepreneurship by lowering the cost of capital for enterprises by about 3.5 percentage points.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Measures are required to channel more household savings to capital markets, to reduce the cost of credit intermediation, and to streamline government finance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bad Bank:</strong> Creation of a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/bad-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;bad bank&rsquo;</strong></a> can take care of the inoperative assets.</li>
<li><strong>Responsibility for Reforms:</strong> A bulk <strong>60% of the reforms</strong> will have to be undertaken by <strong>states</strong> and the remaining <strong>40% by the Centre.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/india-needs-to-create-90-mn-non-farm-jobs-by-30-report-11598498230380.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: Mint</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 16 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6246,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Women in Research And Development',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to the <strong>Science and Technology Indicators (STI), 2018,</strong> India&rsquo;s private sector research companies appear to <strong>employ a larger proportion of women in core research and development activities</strong> than government-funded major scientific agencies do.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India had 3,41,818 scientists in R&amp;D with nearly 2,03,759 employed by government institutions or in the higher education sector, as of 2018.</li>
<li>Of the 20,351 women employed in private R&amp;D companies, about<strong> three in four</strong> were involved in &ldquo;R&amp;D activities&rdquo;.</li>
<li>However, of the 23,008 women in major scientific agencies (government), <strong>fewer than half</strong> were in the same &lsquo;R&amp;D activities&rsquo; category.</li>
<li>Also, for <strong>every one woman, there are six</strong> male scientists in<strong> private</strong> sector R&amp;D establishments. However, the ratio is<strong> four for one</strong> in major scientific agencies.</li>
<li>The bulk of scientists (in private and publicly funded organisations included) were in &lsquo;Engineering Technology&rsquo; followed by the Medical Sciences and Natural Sciences.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg" p=""><strong>Science and Technology Indicators (STI)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The STI is a periodic compendium of the state of scientific research in India.</li>
<li>It is prepared by the <strong>National Science and Technology Management Information System,</strong> a division of the <strong>Department of Science Technology.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reasons for low participation of women in R&amp;D:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The recruiters and managers at private firms are held<strong> more accountable</strong> to hire as well as promote female employees, as compared to those in government offices.</li>
<li>The large drop in the number of women between the doctoral and professional stages appears to be in part due to<strong> social pressure on women</strong> to have a family which is seen as incompatible with a professional career.</li>
<li>There are also <strong>patriarchal attitudes in hiring practices,</strong> so many women are discriminated against at this stage as well, with administrators deciding that women &lsquo;should&rsquo; be opting for family over a career.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Scenario:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Women in STEM:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unesco-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNESCO</strong> </a>data from 2014-16 shows that only around <strong>30% of female students</strong> select STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)-related fields in higher education.</li>
<li>Female enrolment is particularly<strong> low</strong> in information technology (3%), natural science, mathematics and statistics (5%) and engineering and allied streams (8%).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Research as a Profession:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to a 2018 fact sheet prepared by UNESCO on women in science, only <strong>28.8% of researchers are women.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Share in Nobel Prizes:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Between <strong>1901 and 2019,</strong> 334 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nobel-prizes-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nobel Prizes</strong></a> have been awarded to 616 Laureates in Physics, Chemistry and Medicine, of which just <strong>20 have been won by women.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Share in Abel Prizes:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 2019, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/abel-prize" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>American mathematician Karen Uhlenbeck</strong></a> became the first woman to win the Abel Prize, following 16 male mathematicians.</li>
<li>The Abel Prize is a Norwegian prize awarded annually by the King of Norway to one or more <strong>outstanding mathematicians.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Share in Fields Medals:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Fields Medal so far has also been awarded to only one woman mathematician, the late Maryam Mirzakhani of Iran, as opposed to 59 men since 1936.</li>
<li>The Fields Medal is awarded<strong> every four years</strong> by the <strong>International Congress of Mathematicians</strong> to recognize outstanding mathematical achievement for existing work and for the promise of future achievement.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Scenario</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Women in STEM:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The female enrolment in science streams rose from 2010-11 to 2015-16.</li>
<li>According to the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a> report in 2015-16, 9.3% of female students in Undergraduate (UG) courses were enrolled in engineering, compared to 15.6% across genders. Conversely, 4.3% of female students were enrolled in medical science, compared to 3.3% across genders.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Research as a Profession:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Only 13.9% of women work as a researcher in India. At <strong>master&rsquo;s and doctoral levels, female enrolment</strong> remained<strong> lower</strong> than overall enrolment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Presence at Technical Professions:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The NITI Aayog report has also found that in over 620 institutes and universities, including IITs, NITs, ISRO, and DRDO, the presence of women was 20.0% among Scientific and Administrative Staff, 28.7% among Post-Doctoral Fellows, and 33.5% among PhD scholars.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gender Gap Index</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-gender-gap-index-2020-wef" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Global Gender Gap Index 2020</strong></a>, a study covering 153 economies, India has slipped to the 112<sup>th</sup> spot from its 108<sup>th</sup> position in 2018.</li>
<li>The report also says it would take nearly a hundred years to close the gender gap in various fields in India compared to the time it would take in other countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Work Participation:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to the <strong>World Bank,</strong> India ranks <strong>163<sup>rd</sup> out of 181 countries</strong> in<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/declining-female-labour-force-participation-editorial-upsc-ias-economy-gender-inequality-gktoday" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> female labour force participation.</strong></a></li>
<li>Also, India is one of the few countries in the world where women&rsquo;s work participation rates have fallen sharply &mdash; from 29% in 2004-5 to 22% in 2011-12 and to 17% in 2017-18.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Inequality at Work:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to the <strong>Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE),</strong> a large percentage of all the jobs lost last year were held by women. Out of the 11 million jobs lost in 2018, women accounted for 8.8 million.</li>
<li><strong>Indian women <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/declining-female-labour-force-participation-editorial-upsc-ias-economy-gender-inequality-gktoday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">receive 34% fewer wages</a></strong> than men for equivalent work, spend around five hours a day on unpaid care work compared to a mere half an hour for men and are primarily engaged in low-paying, informal sector work.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Initiatives to Promote Women in Science</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Vigyan Jyoti Scheme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/initiatives-for-gender-equality-in-science" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Vigyan Jyoti Scheme</strong></a> is launched by the <strong>Department of Science &amp; Technology (DST).</strong></li>
<li>It is intended to create a<strong> level-playing field</strong> for the <strong>meritorious girls in high school</strong> to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in their higher education.</li>
<li>It also offers exposure for girl students from the rural background to help to plan their journey from school to a job of their choice in the field of science.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>GATI Scheme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/initiatives-for-gender-equality-in-science" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI)</strong> </a>will develop a <strong>comprehensive Charter and a framework for assessing Gender Equality</strong> in STEM</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>KIRAN Scheme</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kiran-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing (KIRAN) Scheme</strong></a> is started by the <strong>Department of Science and Technology (DST)</strong> aimed to <strong>bring gender parity in the Science &amp; Technology sector</strong> by inducting more women talent in the research &amp; development domain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-25th-january-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BBBP</strong> </a>is the joint initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Human Resource Development to ensure<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-25th-january-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> survival, protection, and empowerment of the girl child.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-science-day-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Science Day (NSD)</strong></a> was celebrated on 28<sup>th</sup> February 2020 with the theme &lsquo;Women In Science&rsquo;.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Dr Niti Kumar,</strong> a senior scientist from the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/council-of-scientific-and-industrial-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CSIR- Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI)</strong></a>, Lucknow received <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/serb-women-excellence-award-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SERB Women Excellence Award-2020</strong></a> on this occasion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aishe-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>All-India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) report 2018-19</strong></a>, the gender gap in the country <strong>narrowed</strong> as compared to the previous year, i.e. 2017-18.</li>
<li>Initiatives like<strong> She-box</strong> are ensuring <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/how-to-boost-womens-workforce-participation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>workplace safety</strong></a> and boost better participation of women in all areas of economy,</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Inequalities in gender participation in science emanate from social-economic issues, which can be treated by bringing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/subdued-gender-participation-in-stem" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>behavioural change.</strong></a></li>
<li>Also, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-needs-more-women-parliamentarians" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>better political representation of women</strong></a> can go a long way in deconstructing the stereotype of women</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/how-to-boost-womens-workforce-participation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Better workforce participation</strong></a> can only be brought by collective effort of the society and the people in governance.</li>
<li>Growth in jobs must be inclusive and new jobs need to be secure with <strong>better work conditions, including social security benefits.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/private-firms-employ-more-women-in-rd/article32406949.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6233,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Issues Related to Minimum Wage',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/100th-anniversary-of-ilo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Labour Organization (ILO)</strong> </a>has termed the<strong> current minimum wage fixing criteria</strong> in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/code-on-wages-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Draft Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2020</strong> </a>as ambiguous.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On 7<sup>th</sup> July 2020, the Central government published the<strong> Draft Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2020</strong> in the Official Gazette and placed it in the public domain inviting objections and suggestions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Fixation of the Minimum Wage:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Number of Consumption Units:</strong> The Wage Code provides for the fixation of the minimum wage keeping in view the standard working class family,<strong> the equivalent of 3 adult consumption units.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The assumption that a standard working class family consists just of 3 adult consumption units is questionable.</li>
<li>This number has been arrived at by counting the male worker as 1 consumption unit, his wife as 0.8 consumption unit and two children as 0.6 consumption units each.</li>
<li>Such an assumption about the food requirements of the members of a family seems flawed. Furthermore, families with dependent elders are not considered.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Expenses:</strong> The minimum wage under the code has been fixed by considering the estimate of expenses incurred towards food, clothing, shelter, fuel, electricity, children's education and medical requirements. It also includes expenses on contingencies and miscellaneous items. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, the criteria prescribed for the fixation of the minimum wage<strong> have not taken into consideration all the expenses incurred to meet the minimum needs of a family in the present day.</strong></li>
<li>For instance, the expenses incurred towards transport, mobile phone bills and internet connection bills have not been considered at all.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Clothing:</strong> The clothing requirement at 66 metres of cloth per year per standard working class family is unrealistically low. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It also does not take into consideration the additional clothing requirements of people in cold regions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Housing:</strong> The housing rent expenditure will be factored at 10% of the expenditure on food and clothing, which is unrealistic considering that the rent towards decent housing for a family in and around metropolitan areas will amount to at least Rs. 5000 per month.</li>
<li><strong>Basis of Fixation of Wages:</strong> The fixation of minimum wages under the draft code has been kept on a day basis. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, trade union leaders have opined that fixation of wages on a day basis could disadvantage workers when compared to the fixation of minimum wages on a monthly basis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fixation of Floor Wage:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Code on Wages, 2020 mentions the concept of a<strong> floor wage,</strong> which empowers the central government to fix floor wages taking into account the minimum living standards of workers.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> floor wage is a baseline wage</strong> below which minimum wages cannot be fixed by state governments.</li>
<li>The Wage Code permits the fixation of <strong>different floor level wages for different geographical areas.</strong> However, this has <strong>given rise to the fear of flight of capital</strong> from areas where the wage is higher to areas where the wage is lower.</li>
<li>There is also fear that it will lead to <strong>fixation of low wages by state governments</strong> in a bid to attract greater investments thus depressing the minimum wage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, the wage rules do not outline the exact criteria and methods for fixation of floor wage rates by the Central Government.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Suggestions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Stating the exact methods of fixation of floor wage.</strong> This would enable the setting of the floor wage at an appropriate level after the wage code comes into effect.</li>
<li><strong>Fixing the periodicity of revision of the minimum wage.</strong> Of the two components of the minimum wage &mdash; basic wage and dearness allowance &mdash; the paper suggests revision of the basic wage every five years, a part which is missing in the proposed minimum wage rules.</li>
<li><strong>Refining the rules</strong> and suggesting relying on the evidence-based approach by holding consultations with representative organizations of workers and employers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/minimum-wage-criteria-rules-ambiguous-ilo-6561799/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6228,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'National Recruitment Agency',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister has decided to set up a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-recruitment-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> National Recruitment Agency (NRA)</strong></a> to conduct a <strong>common preliminary examination</strong> for various recruitments in the central government.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The NRA will conduct the <strong>Common Eligibility Test (CET)</strong> for recruitment to<strong> non-gazetted posts</strong> in government and public sector banks. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Approximately 1.25 lakh government jobs are advertised every year for which 2.5 crore aspirants appear in various examinations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This test aims to <strong>replace multiple examinations</strong> conducted by different recruiting agencies for selection to government jobs advertised each year, with a <strong>single online</strong> test.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Government also plans to provide outreach and awareness facilities to assist candidates in rural and far flung areas to familiarize them with the online examination system.</li>
<li>A 24x7 helpline will be set up for answering queries, complaints and queries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The present recruitment agencies&ndash;<strong> Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) and the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)&mdash;</strong> will remain in place.</li>
<li>Based on the preliminary screening done at the CET score level, final selection for recruitment shall be made through <strong>separate specialised Tiers</strong> (II, III, etc.) of examination which shall be <strong>conducted by the respective recruitment agencies.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Salient Features of CET:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Common Eligibility Test will be held<strong> twice a year.</strong></li>
<li>There will be different CETs for <strong>graduate level, 12<sup>th</sup> Pass level and 10<sup>th</sup> pass level</strong> to facilitate recruitment to vacancies at various levels.</li>
<li>The curriculum for CET would be <strong>common.</strong></li>
<li>The CET will be conducted in<strong> 12 major Indian languages.</strong> This is a major change, as hitherto examinations for recruitment to Central Government jobs were held <strong>only in English and Hindi.</strong></li>
<li>Initially, CET will cover recruitments made by three agencies : viz. SSC, RRB and IBPS at <strong>Group B and C (non -technical)</strong> posts. This will be expanded in a phased manner.</li>
<li>CET will be held in <strong>1,000 centres</strong> across India in a bid to remove the currently prevalent urban bias. There will be an examination centre in<strong> every district</strong> of the country. There will be a special thrust on creating <strong>examination infrastructure in the 117 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/aspirational-districts-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aspirational districts.</a></strong></li>
<li>CET will be a first level test to shortlist candidates and the score will be <strong>valid for three years.</strong></li>
<li>There shall be <strong>no restriction on the number of attempts</strong> to be taken by a candidate to appear in the CET subject to the <strong>upper age limit.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Age relaxation for<strong> SC/ST and OBC</strong> candidates as per existing rules will apply.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>About NRA:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>National Recruitment Agency will be a Society registered under the <strong>Societies Registration Act,1860.</strong></li>
<li>It will be headed by a <strong>Chairman</strong> of the rank of the Secretary to the Government of India. It will have<strong> representatives</strong> of the Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Finance/Department of Financial Services, the SSC, RRB &amp; IBPS.</li>
<li>The Government has sanctioned a sum of Rs. 1517.57 crore for the National Recruitment Agency (NRA).</li>
<li>The expenditure will be undertaken over a <strong>period of three years.</strong></li>
<li>It is envisioned that the NRA would be a specialist body bringing the state-of-the-art technology and best practices to the field of Central Government recruitment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At present, candidates seeking government jobs have to appear for separate examinations conducted by <strong>multiple recruiting agencies</strong> for various posts.</li>
<li>Candidates have to <strong>pay fees</strong> to multiple recruiting agencies and also have to travel long distances for appearing in various exams.</li>
<li><strong>Women candidates</strong> especially from rural areas<strong> face constraints</strong> in appearing in multiple examinations as they have to arrange for transportation and places to stay in places that are far away.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advantages for Students:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Removes the <strong>hassle</strong> of appearing in multiple examinations.</li>
<li>Single examination fee would <strong>reduce the financial burden</strong> that multiple exams imposed.</li>
<li>Since exams will be held in every district, it would substantially <strong>save travel and lodging cost</strong> for the candidates. Examination in their own district would encourage more and <strong>more women candidates</strong> also to apply for government jobs.</li>
<li>Applicants are required to register on a <strong>single Registration portal.</strong></li>
<li>It will also prevent the issue of <strong>clashing examination dates.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advantages for Institutions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Removes the <strong>hassle of conducting preliminary/screening tests</strong> of candidates.</li>
<li>Drastically <strong>reduces the time of recruitment cycle.</strong></li>
<li>Brings <strong>standardization</strong> in examination pattern.</li>
<li><strong>Reduces costs</strong> for different recruiting agencies. <strong>Rs 600 crore savings</strong> expected.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Staff Selection Commission</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Staff Selection Commission is an <strong>attached office of the Department of Personnel and Training</strong> under the<strong> Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.</strong></li>
<li>The Government of India, in the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, vide its resolution dated the 4<sup>th</sup> November 1975 constituted a Commission called the Subordinate Services Commission. The same was re-designated as Staff Selection Commission effective from 26<sup>th</sup> September 1977.</li>
<li>It makes recruitment to various <strong>Group &ldquo;B&rdquo; and Group &ldquo;C&rdquo; posts</strong> in the various Ministries/Departments of the Government of India and in Subordinate Offices.</li>
<li>It has its headquarters in <strong>New Delhi.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Institute of Banking Personnel Selection</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>IBPS is an <strong>autonomous body</strong> formed in 1984.</li>
<li>It is registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and also a Public Trust under the Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950.</li>
<li>It was created to render <strong>assistance to organisations in the areas of personnel such as recruitment, selection, placement, etc.</strong></li>
<li>It has its headquarters in <strong>Mumbai, Maharashtra.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/national-recruitment-agency-nra-government-jobs-6561491/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: IE</a></strong></p>',
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	(int) 19 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6221,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Jobs Data: CMIE',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE)</strong> has released data related to jobs gained or lost during the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 lockdown</strong></a> period (April-July 2020).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>CMIE is a leading <strong>business information company.</strong> It was established in 1976, primarily as an independent think tank.</li>
<li>CMIE produces <strong>economic and business databases</strong> and develops specialised analytical tools to deliver these to its customers for decision making and for research. It<strong> analyses the data to decipher trends in the economy.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Salaried Jobs:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They suffered a <strong>total loss estimated to be 18.9 million</strong> during April-July 2020.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>17.7 million salaried jobs were lost in April. After gaining 3.9 million jobs in June, 5 million jobs were again lost in July.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>They <strong>offer better terms of employment</strong> and better wages, and have a<strong> higher share in urban parts</strong> of the country than rural parts.</li>
<li>They are<strong> more resilient to economic shocks</strong> and not lost easily, however, once lost they are far more difficult to retrieve.</li>
<li>Only 21% of all employment in India is in the form of a salaried employment.</li>
<li>Loss of urban salaried jobs is likely to have a particular <strong>debilitating impact on the economy,</strong> besides causing<strong> immediate hardship to middle-class households.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Since the lockdown was announced, several companies across sectors have taken to job cuts, along with salary reductions and leave without pay.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Informal and Non-Salaried Jobs:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This category of job has <strong>shown improvement</strong> during the April-July 2020 increasing to 325.6 million in July 2020 from 317.6 million in 2019, an increase of 2.5%. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This is because of the<strong> opening of the country in a phased manner.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This category of employment <strong>accounted for about 32% of the total employment but it suffered 75%</strong> of the hit in April 2020. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Out of total 121.5 million jobs lost in April 2020, 91.2 million of the jobs were lost from this category.</li>
<li>Small traders, hawkers and daily wage labourers were the worst hit by the lockdown.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Farm Jobs:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The jobs lost in the non-farm sectors have resulted in <strong>people moving towards farm employment.</strong> The farm sector gained 14.9 million jobs in the April-July 2020 period.</li>
<li>In 2019, 42.39% of the workforce in India was employed in agriculture.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1597825839_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1597825839_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="631" height="378" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/lockdown-takes-toll-on-18-9-mn-salaried-jobs-informal-sector-shows-silver-lining-6560451/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/rightsection.ctp, line 100
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::_renderElement() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1554
Cake\View\View::element() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 668
include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/articlebox.ctp, line 5
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::_renderElement() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1554
Cake\View\View::element() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 668
include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Articles/tags.ctp, line 61
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 765
Cake\Controller\Controller::render() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 623
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 125
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 93

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