Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman holds pre-budget consultation with representatives of trade unions, labour organisations

Ahead of the forthcoming General Budget 2020-21, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, on Thursday (December 19) held 5th pre-budget consultation with the representatives of various trade unions and labour organisations. 

During the meeting, the representatives of trade unions and labour organisations shared their views and suggestions regarding labour and employment issues with the Union Minister. They held discussions were held on skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling of existing labour force. The Trade Unions and Labour Organisations representatives also held talks over quality of job creation and ensuring minimum wages of workers during the meeting with Sitharaman.

During the meeting, experts and representatives from various Trade Unions and Labour Organisations gave suggestions related to skill development in labour intensive areas, alignment of skill development initiatives with cluster developments, creation of dedicated fund for skill enhancement , allocation of more funds to MGNREGA scheme, increase of number of days of work under MGNREGA, legislation for various welfare schemes for permanent benefits, profiling job according to skill-sets, separate fund for revival of job creation via MSMEs, increase in social sector spending, unorganised sector workers’ benefits including land less farm labourers , strengthening of tripartite & bipartite mechanisms, consultations with TUs for finalising Code on Safety , Industrial Relations & Social Security .

Along with Sitharaman, the meeting was attended by Shri Anurag Singh, Thakur, Union Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs; Shri Rajeev Kumar, Finance Secretary; Shri Atanu Chakraborty, Secretary, DEA; Shri Ajay Bhushan Pandey, Revenue Secretary; Shri Pramod Chandra Mody, Chairman, CBDT; Dr K.V. Subramanian, Chief Economic Adviser; Shri Heeralal Samariya, Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment; Shri H. Srinivas, DG, V.V. Giri National Labour Institute and other senior officials of Ministry of Finance.