Study group to submit draft on social security policy

bangalore: in 1991, parduman singh, an aituc leader and member of central board of trustees of the employees provident fund organisation wrote to r.k.a. subrahmanya, former additional secretary with the union ministry of labour, suggesting a body be formed to promote social security. subrahmanya''s support saw the formation of the social security association of india in july 1991 with 18 members.the association has since grown into an organisation with about 300 members comprising social security institutions esic and epfo, trade unions and trade union leaders, industrialists and management consultants, public administrators among others. the objective of the association is to create awareness among workers about social security programmes in india and abroad. social security is a basic human right. "we want the government to recognise social security as a fundamental right," says r.k.a. subrahmanya. ssai holds seminars, symposia, workshops and debates to focus on the need to expand social security coverage and improve governance of social security programmes. the association conducts educational programmes in local languages. following the lead of ssai, discussions are held on social security at various levels. subrahmanya says there is a greater need for social security in developing countries than in developed ones. and india requires social security of broader dimension than elsewhere. he explains, "in developed countries, social security is seen as an income maintenance measure to protect the income of workers in case of sickness etc - when a person unable to work is deprived of his income. in developing countries where the workforce belongs mostly to the unorganised sector - without regular employment, continuity of employment and assurance of a basic income - assurance of means of livelihood is of greater importance." lately, with efforts at highlighting conditions of people in the unorganised sector, the government has initiated measures for providing social security. it is still far from providing comprehensive social security. the centre set up the national commission on labour of india to recommend the minimum level of protection and welfare measures. subrahmanya was appointed chairman of a study group to recommend measures for extending social security coverage to the unorganised sector. the study group recommended the constitution of a national social security authority of india to formulate the national policy on social security, and monitoring implementation of the policy. it has recommended establishment of boards of social security for implementation of the policy. kerala is in the forefront in providing social security to workers in the unorganised sector. it has set up welfare funds for classes of workers like headload construction workers and also a committee to review working of the funds. subrahmanya was a member of the committee, which recommended consolidation of funds. the government constituted a labour authority of kerala for administration of the funds. there is a proposal to set up a similar authority in karnataka. further progress depends on the action the centre will take on recommendations of the national commission on labour, after it submits its report sometime in february.