CII pitches for integrated jobs policy

New Delhi: Industry body CII Sunday suggested a seven-point agenda for employment generation in the country including a national employment policy.

"India stands at a unique juncture where its demographic dividend presents a tremendous opportunity to propel economic growth and social transformation," said Chandrajit Banerjee, director general, CII.

The industry body pitched for an integrated National Employment Policy, absorbing the existing employment schemes run by state or ministries.


The policy can build on a National Career Service (NCS), a one-stop portal, which could be fed data from different ministries and states.

"The development of Universal Labour Information Management System (ULIMS) under NCS that can provide information about employment opportunities and projections; job classification; skills demand; and training opportunities aligned to the projections," the industry body recommends.

The industry body has also recommended a new section replacing the old section in the Income-Tax Act to encourage new employment. While under the new provision, taxpayers will continue getting benefits in the form of deductions from their total income to the extent salary paid, it recommends that "deduction can be granted for first three years of new employment with reference to the salary paid in the respective tax year but subject to a ceiling of Rs. 1 lakh per month."

But it says the benefit under the section shouldn't be available to taxpayers who have recruited people as part of a split or business reorganisation.

CII has suggested targeted support to employment-intensive sectors such as construction, tourism, textiles, and low-skilled manufacturing.