Yearend review-2016, Ministry of Labour & Employment

Yearend review-2016 Achievements and initiatives of the Ministry Of Labour & Employment

Question: When did the Rajya Sabha passed Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016?
(a) 11 August 2016
(b) 12 August 2016
(c) 13 August 2016
(d) 10 August 2016
Ans: (a)
Related facts:

  • On 27 December 2016 Ministry of Labour & Employment has released Yearend review-2016.
  • Following are the related key facts:
  • The Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015 passed by the Parliament in the Winter Session has been published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary on 1st January, 2016.
  • The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016 passed by Rajya Sabha on 11th August,2016 which inter-alia include increasing maternity benefit to woman from 12 weeks to 26 weeks up to two surviving children.
  • The Employees’ Compensation (Amendment) Bill, 2016 was passed in Lok Sabha on 9th August, 2016 to modify the provisions of Employees’ Compensation Act, 1923 to rationalize the penalties and strengthen the rights of the worker under the Act.
  • The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016, passed by the Parliament on 26th July, 2016.
  • Cabinet in its meeting held on 29th June, 2016 considered the Model Shops and Establishment (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Bill, 2016.
  • The 2nd National Commission on Labour had recommended codification of Labour Laws in to 4-5 Groups on functional basis.
  • At present, Ministry of Labour & Employment is working to rationalize the provisions of the 43 Labour Laws in 4 Labour Codes which are Labour Code on Wages, Labour Code on Industrial Relations, Labour Code on Social Security & Welfare and Labour Code on Safety &Working Conditions.
  • The government has announced more than 42% increase in the minimum wages for all sectors in the central sphere.
  • ESI coverage on Wage ceiling has been increased from Rs.15000/- to Rs.21000/-.
    Bonus ceiling has been enhanced from Rs.3500/- to Rs.7000/- and the eligibility limit has been raised from Rs.10000/- to Rs.21000/.
  • Revised scheme for the rehabilitation of Bonded Labour with the quantum of financial assistance increased from the symbolic level of Rs 20 thousand to an amount of Rs 3 lakhs
  • Time limit reduced to 20 days from 30 days for EPF claim settlements.
  • A unified Web Portal ‘Shram Suvidha Portal’ launched on 16.10.2014 to bring transparency and accountability in enforcement of labour laws and ease complexity of compliance.
  • Universal Account Number (UAN) programme launched on 16th October 2014 is designed to act as an umbrella for the multiple Member IDs allotted to same individual.
  • The Ministry is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY) scheme to incentivize employers registered with the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) for new employment.
  • The Ministry is implementing the National Career Service (NCS) Project as a vibrant platform for transforming and strengthening the public employment services in the country.

Reference:
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=155874