Kerala to simplify labour laws ahead of meet

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government has got started on enacting new labour laws and simplifying the maze of existing labour laws that are hampering investment in the state. The move is significant as it comes ahead of the Global Investors’ Meet (GIM) to be held in Kochi in November, which will showcase the state to potential investors.
The state government has signed up PriceWaterhouse Coopers as the consultant for the meet, to draw up profiles of 50 priority projects, which will be marketed to the investors. KSIDC sources said PriceWaterhouse Coopers was being paid Rs 60 lakh in consultation fees. The state budget had set apart Rs 5 crore towards the conduct of GIM, which is to be inaugurated by the prime minister on November 23.
Chief minister A.K. Antony said here that changes would be made to the existing labour laws through a new labour policy which is to be placed before the next session of the state Assembly. Labour troubles have, in the past, sabotaged a number of projects in the state.
The state government has set up a Labour Reforms Committee under the chairmanship of the state law minister, to simplify the set of labour laws in existence. “We have enacted various laws over the years. Some of them have become redundant and we need to give them a second look�, the chief minister said. “Labour laws alone number about 32, which is a deterrent to entrepreneurs�, state industry minister P.K. Kunhalikutty said. The new laws are expected to put a stop to harassment by attimari (loading/unloading workers). In recent months, work on two tourist resorts in Kumarakom and Kovalam had run into labour-related problems.