UPA government created two crore jobs: Vasan

Union Shipping Minister G.K. Vasan on Tuesday said that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government created two crore new employment opportunities during 2004-05 and 2009-2010. The percentage of unemployment has come down from 8.3 per cent to 6.6 per cent during the UPA rule, Mr. Vasan claimed, while inaugurating the 25th State conference of the Tamil Nadu branch of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) here. The UPA government is working for the welfare and uplift of the working class, he said. In addition to bringing about changes in the nine labour-related Acts, it had increased the minimum wages from Rs.100 to Rs.115 from 2011. The Centre had spent over Rs.1,600 crore under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana, launched by the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment, for providing health insurance cover for Below Poverty Line families. Apart from initiating welfare schemes for workers, the Centre had organised skill development programmes for 27 lakh youths across the country, besides modernising polytechnic colleges. India had the highest number of workers, 41 crore, of which nearly 38 crore were in unorganised sector. Complimenting the INTUC for taking up the cause of the working class steadfastly over the past 65 years, Mr. Vasan said that it had played a significant role in getting the rights of labourers. He called upon the members of the Congress-backed INTUC to take the message of welfare schemes launched by the UPA government to the grassroots level. INTUC president G. Sanjeeva Reddy, Tamil Nadu branch president G. Kalan and conference reception committee president V. Kalyanaraman spoke. Office-bearers and INTUC members from various parts of the State are attending the conference, which will conclude on Wednesday