The ministry of commerce and industry has proposed to set up National Manufacturing and Investment Zones (NMIZ) to increase the share of manufacturing sector in the country™s gross domestic product (GDP). The ministry also suggested for an exemption from labour laws for easier hiring and firing of workers. In the proposal, the Contract Labour Abolition Act would also not be applicable and workers™ rights to join unions would also be curtailed. Instead, an alternative safety net would be provided to workers in these zones.
However, the ministry’s ambitious plans have met with resistance from the ministry of labour..
The interest of workers is our utmost priority and we will not support any policy which works against them, a senior labour ministry official said.
