The ordinance to amend the Payment of Wages Act, 1936 to enable cheque and e-payment has the altruistic objective of removing ill effects of demonetization on low wage workers, but any such efforts are missing for the persons employed in the unorganized sector. Do you agree with this statement? Also discuss the viability and consistency of above amendment through ordinance route in light of the almost washed out Winter Session of the Parliament?
This move though has an altruistic objective is being criticised because it will not be able to target the unorganised sector in the Indian Economy.
The Indian economy is characterised by the existence of a vast majority of informal or unorganised labour employment. As per a survey carried out by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) in 2009–10, the total employment in the country was of 46.5 crore comprising around 2.8 crore in the organised and the remaining 43.7 crore workers in the unorganised sector. Out of these workers in the unorganised sector, there are 24.6 crore workers employed in agricultural sector, about 4.4 crore in construction work and remaining in manufacturing and service.
The unorganised sector is characterised by-
- No security of employment.
- No fixed working hours.
- No fixed payment of wages.
- No benefits like paid leave, provident fund, medical benefits, etc.
Therefore, before undertaking any such moves, an effort needs to be made to regulate the unorganised sector first.
Moves such as an ordinance to the payment of wages act, surrogacy bill, GST, etc. get tempered due to disruptions in the parliament.
Opposition parties offer shifting goalposts. The leaders offer different versions of their parliamentary tactics. This stalls the working of the parliament. It creates a parliamentary paralysis leading to policy paralysis.
When smooth functioning and decorum is not observed in the parliament, no significant move holds significance.
Therefore, the need of the hour is to educate the parliamentarians to be responsible representatives of the citizens and perform their duties with due ‘public interest’.
Topics: GS-III: Indian Economy Issues Relating to Planning