Sikkim govt terms Labour Bill as their significant achievement. Here's why

GANGTOK: M.N. Sherpa, state minister of the Labour Department, has said the passing of the Sikkim Labour Bill, 2021 was a significant achievement of the State government.

The bill was passed on June 15 by the Sikkim Legislative Assembly during the Budget Session was to ensure a complete database of the labour force and their overall welfare.

Addressing a press conference held at Shram Bhawan in Sokaythang today, Sherpa reiterated the State Government's commitment towards protecting labourers from exploitation and added that the new Bill passed by the Assembly will further capacitate the State government to formulate and implement informed policies and programmes with mandatory provisions for improving the working and living conditions of labourers.

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He informed that one of the binding provisions laid by the Bill is the mandatory registration and annual licensing of service providers or employers and establishments along with the labourers in order to achieve a comprehensive database of the workforce in the State. It will also aid in redetermining the employers' primary duties and responsibilities to protect the health, security and welfare of their employees, he added.

Stressing on the information gap on existing welfare schemes, Sherpa said that the Labour Department has been consistently encouraging effective execution and sensitisation of various schemes designed for the benefit of labourers. He added that once the Bill gets assent of the Hon'ble Governor and notified by the Government, the Department will formulate and implement various advisories for the well-being and security of labourers in the State.

Namrata Thapa, Secretary of Labour Department, has informed various issues with regard to monitoring and coordination of labourers in the State which will be addressed by the recently passed Bill. She also asserted that a Task Force has been constituted in each Municipality Ward and each Panchayat Ward under the Sikkim Labour Protection Act, 2005 for the purpose of detailed data collection of unorganised/individual workers and their registration.

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