look news india
Yogi Adityanath government has taken an epoch-making step for lakhs of employees posted on contract and outsourcing in government departments, corporations and authorities of Uttar Pradesh. For the past several decades, outsourced workers working in government departments had to live in fear of exploitation by contractors and middlemen (manpower agencies), low wages, commission charging and being fired from the job without any reason. To root out this chaos and corruption, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has formally launched the formation of ‘Uttar Pradesh Outsource Services Corporation’ (UPCOS – Uttar Pradesh Corporation for Outsource Services) and its official digital portal. With the implementation of this new transparent system, about 20 lakh outsourced families of the state are going to get a strong protective shield of social, financial and service security.
In the earlier system, there were three different factions—employees on one side, contract agencies on the other side and concerned government departments on the third side. Even after taking the full budget from the government, the agencies used to deduct huge commission from the salaries of the employees or sit with the honorarium for months. Now through UPCOS this entire system has been brought on a single-window digital platform.
Now if any department needs outsourced manpower, it will directly register its demand on the UPCOS portal. Transparent agencies empaneled through the portal will be selected and attendance, service records and pay fixation of employees will be tracked digitally. Now the agency will neither be able to arbitrarily deduct a single rupee from the employee’s salary nor will it be able to throw anyone out of the job on its own will. Approval of the competent authority and the government has been made mandatory before removal of any personnel.
Uncertainty of salary was the biggest mental problem of outsourced workers. Under the new rules, now the honorarium will be sent directly to the bank account of the employees through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) by the 5th of every month.
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Zero Balance Account: Zero balance salary account will be opened in the bank for all the registered employees, due to which no minimum balance charge will be deducted for banking services.
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Digital Guarantee of EPF and ESI: Along with salary payment, employer and employee contributions towards Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) will be deposited directly into the accounts of EPFO and ESIC through the portal. Earlier, the complaints of contractors embezzling PF money have been completely curbed.
Yogi government has given outsourced workers not only the right to regular salaries but also comprehensive social security on the lines of organized sector employees:
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Insurance cover from Rs 20 to 40 lakh: In case of any accident or untoward incident while on duty, the dependents of the outsourced employee will get financial security cover ranging from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 40 lakh.
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Immediate assistance of ₹50,000 in case of accidental death: In case of death of an employee during service, an immediate assistance amount of Rs 50 thousand will be provided to the victim’s family through the bank and corporation for funeral and emergency needs.
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Assistance of Rs 8 to 10 lakh for marriage of daughters: Financial assistance of Rs 8 to 10 lakh and direct benefits of welfare schemes will be given for the marriage of two daughters in the families of registered employees.
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Maternity Leave for Female Employees: Female outsourced employees will now have the legal right to paid maternity leave, which earlier contractors used to deny at their own discretion.
Under this new policy, discrepancies in minimum wage on the basis of posts and skills (Unskilled, Semi-skilled, Skilled) have been removed. The government has made it clear that respectable honorarium commensurate with the hard work is the basic right of every employee.
Additionally, four family members of the employees will be linked to health cover and other government welfare schemes on priority basis. Arrangements are being made for integration with ESI card for free treatment in hospitals and Ayushman Bharat scheme for serious diseases. If an employee faces any problem or salary related dispute at the workplace, he or she can lodge his or her online complaint directly on the UPCOS portal, which is guaranteed to be resolved within 48 to 72 hours.
Lakhs of youth of Uttar Pradesh, who work day and night in offices like Municipal Corporations, Development Authorities, Health Department, Transport, Electricity and Collectorate, will now get freedom from the inferiority complex of being ‘temporary and insecure’. Ending the monopoly of middlemen will not only stop the wastage of government revenue, but that money will directly reach the hands of the hardworking employees who are providing services on the ground. By receiving salaries on time, children’s education, medicines for the elderly and the future of the family will be secured. This model is emerging as a new national standard for improving the contracting and outsourcing system not only in Uttar Pradesh but in the entire country.
