A Webinar was organized by Hind Mazdoor Sabha, Odisha Chapter on the occasion of May Day to discuss the challenges faced by workers in today’s world. The Webinar was attended by many luminaries and experts who are working in the field of labour and welfare for the working class.
The Webinar started with a thought provoking speech from Subhas Singh, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha). He expressed that there is lot need to be taken to address the concern of the workers, especially those working in the informal sectors. He outlined that the government of India is implementing many welfare and developmental schemes for the benefit of workers. As a result the socio-economic condition of the workers have increased significantly.
Bikash Mohapatra, a noted NGO activist and a renowned lawer presented the perspective from the view of Civil Society Organization. He said during the 1st lockdown when lakhs of migrant workers were walking to their homes, it is the voluntary organizations who rose to the challenge and provided food, shelter and transport to help them reach their homes safely. This also exposed the weakness in our system and the vulnerability of the workers, especially working in the unorganized sector.
Amit Kumar Motayed, Ex-Secretary of AIBOC and Ex-Director of Bank of India said that though we are passing through a difficult time, perhaps it is also the best time to speak against the undemocratic legislations brought out by the Central government in the name of reforms. He also said the indiscriminate privatization including public sector banks will harm the economy as well as the employees. So a long struggle lies ahead all of us and it is the time to work unitedly to ensure the rights of the people, especially the workers.
Noted Trade Unionist Dibyasingh Nayak spoke on the role of trade unions in protection of workers. He pointed out that there is no lack of funds for the welfare or providing social security to the workers. It is the will that is lacking. It is high time government of the day implemented appropriate steps in ensuring basic minimum social security for the working class.
Mr. Rakhyakar Anupam and Mr. Ashok Kumar Baral who have a long history of working amongst the workers and farmers heavily criticized on the so called reforms lie the four Labour Code and the three farm bills brought in by the central government stealthily without consultation with the stakeholders. They said that it is absolutely necessary to repeal these laws first and stop bringing draconian law in the name of reforms.
Dr. Arun Kumar Praharaj, CEO of Dadabhai Group and Founder of Bahrain Odia Samaj, gave a perspective of expatriate workers from far away on foreign soil and the problems faced by them. He recalled the horrific condition of the expatriate workers during the 1st wave and how the people in Middle East struggled, though successfully to send thousands of people back to India as flights were banned at that time. He also made an appeal that Government of Odisha should have a mechanism to address the concern of the Non-Resident Odias/Indians living outside the country for more co-ordination with them for all round development and standing by them in times of crisis. He also insisted that there should be a Separate NRO Ministry and an authentication/registration mechanism of the foreign employment offer letters with the Ministry of External affairs and Indian Embassy to safeguard the interest of migrant workers from unscrupulous employers.
At the end the Chief Guest on the occasion, Ranendra Pratap Swain, Working President of Hind Mazdoor Sabha and also Minster in the state Cabinet addressed the webinar and pointed out the challenges faced by the workers in the farm as well as in the industrial sector, especially during this pandemic. He pointed out that due to the wrong policies of the Central Government about 30 crores people who had graduated to the Middle Class again went back to become poor and marginalized. Needless to say, bulk of them belong to working class and farmers. He also pointed out that the state government under the Hon’ble Chief Minister has implemented several welfare schemes like housing, cycle with tool kits, funds for marriage of the daughters, scholarship for the children etc. for the workers. These schemes are one of its own and nowhere in India such schemes are implemented. He urged the central government to implement social security programmes of the workers and farmers and rethink on the four labour codes and the new farm acts for which they are agitating for a long time.
The Webinar was moderated by Himanshu Singh and the vote of thanks was given by Ms. Ipsita Samantray.
