Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2008, published 98th ILC session (2009)

With reference to its observation, the Committee also wishes to draw the Government’s attention to the following points.

Article 5(a) of the Convention. Cooperation between the inspection services and other government services. The Committee notes that, according to the information contained in the document entitled “Annual report of the Ministry of Labour and Employment 2007–08” published on its web site, an “area officer system” has been created in the Ministry. Area officers are required to visit major states once each quarter and other states once every six months and, inter alia, to discuss during their visits with the state government officials, the implementation of labour laws, including in special economic zones (SEZs). The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply information on the activities of the area officers and describe in detail their role in the implementation of labour laws, and particularly the manner in which they collaborate with labour inspectors for this purpose.

Article 5(b). Collaboration of the labour inspection services with employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Committee notes that, in a communication dated 25 August 2008, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) alleges that no trade unions are consulted at any stage by labour inspectors in most States. The Committee observes that the Government has not supplied the precise information that it requested in its previous comments in this regard. It requests the Government once again to supply information on the arrangements made or envisaged for effective collaboration between the inspection services and employers’ and workers’ organizations, not only during workplace inspections, but also in the advisory activities on labour laws undertaken by inspectors.

Articles 20 and 21. Annual report on the work of the labour inspection services. The Committee notes with interest that statistical data on the number of registered and working factories and the workers employed therein, and on industrial accidents for the years 2001 and 2002, are available in the Pocket Book of Labour Statistics published in 2006 by the Labour Bureau of the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The Committee hopes that the Government will take the necessary measures to ensure that the central authority publishes in the very near future an annual report on labour inspection activities containing all the data required by Article 21 and that it is communicated to the ILO within the delays prescribed by Article 20.