Trade unions have urged the finance ministry to increase the minimum pension under Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) by five times to Rs 5,000 per month, constitute the 8th pay commission on an immediate basis, and enhance social security coverage to gig and domestic workers.
During their pre-Budget meeting with the finance minister, the unions also requested the government to tweak the personal income tax rates to grant relief to the middle class by raising the I-T exemption limit to Rs 10 lakh per annum from Rs 7 lakh currently, and levy 1% tax on the super rich.
Some trade unions, namely, Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC) demanded the government to immediately implement the Code on Wages and Code on Social Securities without further delay; while others asked for a complete repeal of the four labour codes.
TUCC specifically demanded social security coverage for workers who are employed under various welfare schemes, such as Asha, Angadwadi. The unions’ national general secretary SP Tiwari said that such workers should be given coverage with ESIC and EPFO wherein their contribution should be shared between Central and state governments just like their honorarium. He also demanded that agriculture workers be extended social security and their minimum wages should also be fixed.
Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh Organising Secretary Pawan Kumar said that the minimum pension under EPS-95 should be increased from Rs 1,000 per month to Rs 5,000 monthly and subsequently linked to the VDA (Variable Dearness Allowance).
Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) suggested that the GST network should be reviewed and revised to provide relief to lower or middle class, who pay the lion share in GST. “GST imposed on items of daily use like bread, butter, paneer, atta, dal,medicine, stationery, pencil etc should be revoked…even unemployed youth are taxed when they pay GST on their application form,” said HMS’ general secretary Harbhajan Singh.
Singh asked for improvement of present training infrastructure like ITIEs, by enhancing their numbers, and equipping them with the latest training tools; and demanded higher allocation for the railway Budget keeping in view the additional work like introduction of new trains, repair of railway tracks etc.
Other unions asked for direct benefit transfer (DBT) for e-Shram Cardholders. With over 29 crore unorganized workers registered on the e-Shram Portal, we strongly advocate for a direct benefit transfer of a minimum of Rs 100 to enhance the economic security of unorganized workers, said National Front of Indian Trade Unions.