India: Economic Reforms and Labour Policy

Labour reforms in India, in the context of economic liberalization and globalisation, are much desired, but also feared and misinterpreted. The issue has been a touchy one ever since the liberalization era began in the early 1990s. The Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) promises to carry out much awaited labour reforms in the Indian economy. The CMP has clearly indicated the need to streamline labour laws and enact Employment Guarantee Act. However, implementing these reforms would require much imagination and political will. The previous Government had also proposed certain labour reforms but could not muster the courage to carry them out. This book examines the whole gamut of labour issues in the context of economic liberalization underway in India. The approach to the subject is mainly descriptive, interspersed by suggestions at places.