MSME Signs MoU With ILO: Employment Generation Efforts Gain Momentum
MSME Signs MoU With ILO: Employment Generation Efforts Gain Momentum
The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises or MSME and the International Labour Organisation or ILO have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding for generating jobs in India. The Secretary of the MSME, Shri Madhav Lal expressed hope that the MoU will add to the synergies of the stakeholders and welcomed the agreement.
He also added that the MoU will be the basis of a technical partnership and the primary aim will be the generation of better quality employment as well as more jobs.
With an emphasis on both quality and quantity, the MOU will form the basis of a technical collaboration in the area of employment generation. Activities of the MSME will also be focused on 3 important areas namely development of entrepreneurial skills, enhancing productivity through efficiency promoting work place practices and integration into international supply chains as well as research and knowledge building in relation to sustainable enterprises and formalisation strategies and efforts.
This MoU will be for a 5 year period during the initial stages. It will also provide support for the Make in India programme for the government. The MoU was signed between Madhav Lal and the Director, Decent Work team for South Asia and Country Office of India, Ms. Tine Staermose.
"Its activities will be focused around three priority areas; entrepreneurship development, good workplace practices for improving productivity and enhancing integration into global supply chains, and research and knowledge-building related to sustainable enterprises and formalisation strategies,” Lal said regarding the MoU.
Key labour reforms have been incoming during the recent times. Recently, the Shram Suvidha portal was unveiled by the PM. Modi also launched the Labour Inspection Scheme as well as the portability of social security. With efforts to integrate skill building and entrepreneurship into employment generation programmes, the Modi government is banking on growth of businesses for driving job growth.
Care should also be taken to promote labour intensive industries so that individuals can be integrated into the job market. The inclusion of women into the workforce is also a very important factor. While positive examples of women empowerment are many, it is women in rural areas and corporate India who need the maximum support so that they can start business and self help groups, promoting economic growth and upliftment of women at the same time.
