Fernandes' proposal for ISO certification as alternative to ''Inspector Raj''

New Delhi: The Labour and Employment Minister, Mr. Oscar Fernandes, proposed  ISO certification as alternative to 'Inspector Raj at 73rd Annual General Meeting of of the All India Organisation of Employers (AIOE).

Mr. Fernandes proposed the certification for the compliance of social security and other legal obligations that companies have to abide by as an alternative to ‘inspector raj’, a FICCI press release reports.

Inaugurating the 73rd Annual General Meeting of the All India Organisation of Employers (AIOE), an allied body of FICCI, Mr. Fernandes said : “We need to have bipartite discussions and come to a consensus where companies go in for ISO certification on social security measures to be provided to employees. If this is adopted, the government would have no difficulty in eliminating inspections on the compliance of social seciity and other legal obligations.”

Mr. Fernandes expressed concern over the naxalite movement which had spread its tentacles in 150 districts of the country. Which industry would like to locate itself in such districts, he asked and urged serious thinking how to stem the rot.

The Minister said skill upgradation was crucial for employing the educated youth in the country. If just one out of five engineers in the country are employable, surely the sytem needs a thorough re-examination, he pointed out.

The outging AIOE President, Mr. Sushil Kumar Jiwarajka, underlined the need for easy entry and exit to attract more investors into the manufacturing sector.

He said the ‘fixed term employment’ introduced in the Standing Orders Act, 1946 provides freedom to industry to employ manpower for short term and contingent jobs. This is a cushion against hiring contract workers, where there are frequent complaints of exploitation. Mr. Jiwarajka urged examination of its merits fully and resist any political decision to withdraw the order.

Mr. Jiwarajka also stressed the need for skill development, retraining and re-learning, reform of Employees Provident Fund and Employees’ State Insurance, elimination of state control over ESI dispensaries and bringing more employees under the ESI net, doing away with subsidy on interest rate on EPF and reducing the penalty on arrears by defaulting establishments.

 CIOL Bureau