For better focus and efficiency, the social security fund should also be utilised to provide hospitalisation, health insurance and life insurance benefits, and old-age pension, the committee said.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour, vetting the labour code on social security, has asked the Centre to make a firm commitment and spell out the terms for financing the social security fund or funds for the social wellbeing of workers in the unorganised sector, gig, platform or any such class of workers who are not yet covered under any security net.
In its final report to the Lok Sabha on Friday, the committee, headed by BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, also recommended that the government should specify the contributions to be made by employers (where identifiable), the central government, state governments along with the diversion of corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds, donations and other sources for the social security fund.
For better focus and efficiency, the social security fund should also be utilised to provide hospitalisation, health insurance and life insurance benefits, and old-age pension, the committee said. The amount to be collected from fines and offences under the labour code could also be used for the purpose.
“Though the (labour) ministry has claimed that sources of funding for schemes have been expanded to include funds from corporate social responsibility or any other such source, the committee feels that there is a lack of firm commitment on the part of the government to fund schemes meant for the unorganised sector. The committee, therefore, recommends that the funding pattern for the schemes meant for the unorganised sector workers be clearly spelt out in the law so as to ensure adequate accrual of funds for potent implementation of various schemes,” Mahtab said.
Source: Financial Express
