By PTI | Updated: Dec 05, 2017, 10.45 PM IST
NEW DELHI: Central trade unions today pitched for tax
exemption on income of up to Rs 5 lakh, the minimum monthly wage of Rs
18,000 and Rs 3,000 minimum pension for workers in a pre-budget
consultation with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
"We demanded that budget should provide for
income tax exemption limit of Rs 5 lakh, Rs 18,000 minimum monthly wages
and Rs 3,000 minimum monthly pension for retired workers," Hind Mazdoor
Sabha General Secretary Harbhajan Singh Sidhu told reporters after the
meeting.
Currently, the income tax exemption limit for individual taxpayers is Rs 2.5 lakh, while the minimum EPF pension is Rs 1,000.
Asked about any assurance given by the
minister, Sidhu said, "Finance Minister has not given us any assurance.
But he listened to our demands as per our 12-point charter of demands."
Jaitley said the government is fully committed
to safeguarding the interests of the workers, especially those working
in the MSME and unorganised sector, according to a Finance Ministry
statement.
Jaitley said the workers are entitled to
minimum wages prescribed by law and asked all the concerned industries
to strictly comply with the same without fail.
Sidhu further said the unions asked the
minister to stop privatisation of public sector undertakings and
disinvestment in state-run companies.
Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh Vice-President K
Lakshma Reddy told reporters that the minister also discussed labour
reforms and assured them that the draft codes on industrial relations
and wages will be revised in view of objections raised by the trade
unions.
Jaitley also heads a ministerial panel which
is looking into various labour issues, including labour reforms. The
panel has not met since August 2015.
In their memorandum, the unions pointed out
that the finance minister had listened to their views while preparing
the budget for 2017-18, but none of their suggestions were addressed in
final document presented by him in Parliament.
The unions said the government should encourage labour intensive industries.
They also cautioned the government that the
decision of encouraging private players in defence production will have a
detrimental effect not only on PSU employees and their families but
also the security and sovereignty of the nation in the long run.
They said the government spent crores of
rupees on demonetisation which could not give the desired results like
checking terrorism and reducing black money.
Similarly, they said the Goods and Services Tax was introduced without proper homework.
The whole GST structure needs serious review and the government should provide some relief in the budget, they added.
Unions also demanded bringing in a national employment policy and to implement social security coverage for unorganised workers.
Source:The Economic Times
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