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Emphasising Government’s commitment to employment led growth, the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today gave a new slogan ‘Rozgar Badhao’ while giving away the prestigious Shram Awards here today. He said, "Our fiscal and monetary policies should promote the growth of labour intensive industries and process as opposed to capital intensive and labour saving ones." Stressing the need to reverse the jobless growth witnessed during the past few years, Dr. Manmohan Singh said that the Food for Work Programme would be launched in the next few weeks in 150 backwards districts of the country as a first step towards National Employment Guarantee to provide 100 days employment to all able bodies persons in rural areas. He said that a draft bill prepared by National Advisory Council in this regard is currently under the examination of the Government. Dr. Manmohan Singh said that attention will have to be paid to agro-processing, rural industries and the informal sectors for having job intensive growth. He said that Government is committed for growth of these sectors through technological upgradation, skill enhancement, credit support and marketing assistance. The Prime Minister said that employment can be generated for unskilled and semi-skilled labour through massive investment in the infrastructure sector. He said, "Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav has assured me that Railways will be the frontrunner in building of this infrastructure."
Expressive concern over only 5 per cent of the country’s labour force having vocational skill, Dr. Manmohan Singh said that substantial investment is needed in skill upgradation and vocational training. He said that both the private and public sector must get actively involved in strengthening and modernizing of Industrial Training Institutes and the Apprenticeship Training Schemes.
The Prime Minister called for an honest and objective assessment of the impact of economic policies, including labour laws, on employment. While recognising the need for increased flexibility in labour markets, he said that we cannot endorse hire and fire approach more so when social security cover is not well developed in our country. Endorsing the Government’s commitment to reforms with a human face, Dr. Manmohan Singh assured that it would never pursue the path that adversely affects the interest of workers and the toiling masses. He called for an honest debate about the functioning of labour markets and its impact on the growth of employment in the unorganised sector.
Felicitating the award winners, the Labour and Employment Minister Shri Sis Ram Ola said that development of productive skills is very imperative for meeting competition in the global markets. He said that we aim at nurturing the dormant talent and the skills of our workers to develop their optimum level of efficiency.
The Prime Minister gave away Shram Ratan, Shram Bhushan, Shram Vir and Shram Shri/Shram Devi Awards for 2002 and 2003 to 73 workers including four women. These awards have been conferred on them individually or jointly for outstanding caliber, exceptional contribution in productivity/ production and for innovative abilities of high order. They received from the Prime Minister a `Sanad’ and a cash award.
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