New Delhi, 16 October 2014

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday unveiled some key labour reforms that relies on trust and promotes ease of doing business and said these efforts will go a long way in changing India’s work culture.

The prime minister also dedicated the Shram Suvidha portal, a Labour Inspection Scheme, as also portability of social security through a Universal Account Number for Employees Provident Fund at an event in Vigyan Bhavan conference complex here.

“How to change the work culture? These efforts are a great example,” said Modi amid applause. “This is Minimum Government Maximum Governance.”

The prime minister said: “E-governance is easy governance. It builds trust for transparency”.

On Inspector Raj, he said a computer now determines where an inspection will be carried out the next day. He also said the number of forms that companies have to fill regarding their labour force has been reduced from as many as 16 to just one now.

This form can be filed online.

Modi also unveiled a booklet on National Brand Ambassadors for Vocational Training and a Souvenir for All India Skill Competitions.

Compassionate approach will ensure that “Shram Yogi” becomes “Rashtra Yogi” and “Rashtra Nirmaata”

· Government must trust its citizens – allowing self-certification is a step in this direction.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today made a strong pitch for understanding and appreciating labour issues through the perspective of the labourers, so that they could be understood and resolved with compassion. In his remarks after launching five new initiatives at the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Shramev Jayate Karyakram in New Delhi, the Prime Minister said that such a compassionate approach would result in the “Shram Yogi” (labourer) becoming a “Rashtra Yogi,” and hence, a “Rashtra Nirmaata” (nation-builder).

The Prime Minister said that in the nation`s development, the phrase “Shramev Jayate” had as much significance as “Satyamev Jayate.”

Shri Narendra Modi said the Government must trust its citizens, and a big step had been taken in this direction by allowing self-certification of documents. He said the various initiatives being launched today as part of the Shramev Jayate Karyakram were also a step in this direction.

The Prime Minister lauded the efforts of the Ministry of Labour and Employment in launching a series of schemes simultaneously, which took into account the interests of workers, as well as the employers. He said the Shram Suvidha Portal has simplified compliance of 16 labour laws, through a single online form.

He said the transparent Labour Inspection Scheme for random selection of units for inspection, would end undue harassment of the “Inspector Raj,” while ensuring better compliance.

The Prime Minister expressed his concern that as much as Rs. 27,000 crore was lying unclaimed with the Employees Provident Fund Organization. He said this money belonged to poor workers of India, and the portability provided for Employees Provident Fund through the Universal Account Number would put an end to such money being locked up and not reaching the intended beneficiary.

The Prime Minister said the initiative of appointing National Brand Ambassadors of Vocational Training would instill pride and confidence in ITI students. The Prime Minister also honoured selected brand ambassadors.

The Apprentice Protsahan Yojana and the Effective Implementation of revamped Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) for labour in the unorganized sector were also launched today.

The Prime Minister said the “Shramev Jayate” initiatives were an essential element of the “Make in India” vision, as they would pave the way for skill development of youth in a big way, and even create an opportunity for India to meet the global requirement of skilled labour workforce in the years ahead.

The programme was attended by Union Ministers Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Shri Kalraj Mishra, Shri Anant Geete, and Dr. Harshvardhan, and the Union MoS Labour Shri Vishnudeo Sai.