File Photo: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu (Press Trust of India)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today directed the Labour Department to initiate steps towards ensuring social security for one crore labourers in the state's unorganised sector.
Mr Naidu, who held a review on labour policy, told officials to explore the possibility of issuing licences to small shopkeepers through a hassle-free online process, a state government statement said.
He asked them to look into providing accident cover, Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana, driver's insurance, motor insurance and other such policies, which will ensure social security for the vulnerable sections.
The CM also asked officials to come up with ways to increase productivity from the unorganized sector and also bring in technologies that will reduce manual work of labourers but contribute to enhancing productivity.
Observing that farm labourers, women from self-sustainable small businesses and MGNREGS daily-wage labourers need to upgrade their skills, the Chief Minister felt that all such groups need to be synchronised.
He asked officials to establish a single point where labourers could reach out for financial resources and skill upgradation.
The Chief Minister informed officials that the Centre will constitute a task force for poverty eradication, following his meeting with the Prime Minister yesterday.
In this regard, he asked officials to prepare proposals, suggesting ways for social empowerment of poor and present them to the task force, the statement said.
He also briefed officials about how the Centre and the states have to work together, following the NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog meeting in Delhi yesterday which aims to provide a critical directional and strategic input to the development process in the country.
"The Chief Minister recalled how Andhra Pradesh stood as one of the pioneers in labour reforms 10 years ago and how its position in implementing labour reforms and ensuring social security has deteriorated over the years," it said.
He informed the officials that the Prime Minister lauded Rajasthan's efforts in implementing labour reforms.
He directed officials to study the best practices in labour reforms from across the world and customise them on the basis of local population for implementation in the state, the statement said.