TIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Kerala Labour Minister TP Ramakrishnan on Tuesday demanded the Union Government withdraw its code on social security. He called the code a follow-up to the Centre’s anti-labourer law amendments aimed at curtailing various benefits, including provident fund, ESI and gratuity.
“The Central Government is going ahead with the code unilaterally despite concerted opposition from trade unions. The Kerala Government had conveyed its objections to the Union Labour Ministry. But we were not considered,” the minister said in a statement.
Under the amended laws, the Employee Provident Fund Organisation and the Employee State Insurance Corporation will be merged with the Central Social Security Board. Once this comes into effect, the welfare fund boards in the state will become defunct. In Kerala alone, 16 welfare fund boards function under the Labour Department, the Minister said. He called for a unified stand against the Centre’s decision.