CHENNAI: The Sumangali scheme or Camp Coolie scheme, practised by the textile and garment sector in many parts of the State for a long time and which was vehemently opposed by trade unions, came up for discussion in the State Assembly on Tuesday.
Former Labour Minister T M Anbarasan alleged that young girls employed under this scheme were treated like bonded labourers. Stoutly denying this, Handlooms and Textiles Minister OS Manian said there were no irregularities in the Sumangali scheme and that all facilities were being provided to the girls in these textile units. The Minister said there was no question of bonded labour in the State headed by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. Tamil Nadu had been in the forefront of the knitwear sector and the exports had exceeded `23,500 crore a year. The girls employed under the Sumangali scheme were staying in hostels just like the hostels in Chennai for government employees, the Minister said and added that all facilities, including letter writing facility, telephone, etc., had been provided to them.
Anbarasan recalled that during the previous DMK regime, an amendment to the Factories Act was moved on June 19, 2008, and it was adopted unanimously and the amendment Bill was sent for the President’s assent. After eight years, the President had given his assent on June 26. After this, the State government had issued a Government Order on July 4, 2016. “If the amendment comes into force, all panchalai cannot employ more than six months. The companies can employ only 10 per cent of the total number of permanent employees as apprentices. So the State should frame the rules for this red-lettered amendment and implement it immediately,” he said.