In a big boost to government's efforts to collect data on migrant workers and the employment situation in formal and informal sector, the Labour Bureau and the Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL signed a service level agreement, under which the BECIL will provide technical and manpower support to Bureau for conducting All India surveys on migrant workers and All India Quarterly Establishment based Employment Survey (AQEES).

The agreement was signed by ​Labour Bureau Director General DPS Negi and BECIL CMD George Kuruvilla in the presence of Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar.

According to a statement by the Labour Ministry, the signing of the agreement marks the beginning of a new era in the field of IT-enabled surveys. The surveys to be undertaken by Bureau will be integrated with the technology provided by BECIL, which will substantially reduce the time taken for completion of surveys by at least 30-40 per cent.

The ministry in order to implement the newly introduced category of ‘Fixed Term Employment’ (FTE) has decided that the manpower engaged through the IT partner for supporting these surveys will be offered Fixed Term Employment, it said.

The Fixed Term Employment is a historic provision in the recent labour codes which will bestow various benefits on the workers engaged for a fixed term by treating them at par with permanent workers.

While expressing pleasure on the signing of the agreement, Gangwar said “These surveys will prove highly useful and game changer in providing Government with crucial data on migrant workers and the employment situation in formal and informal establishments. I am glad that Bureau is integrating the survey work with latest available technology to achieve timely and faster results.”

“The utility of any database lies in its accuracy and timeliness, I am sure that with use of technology, Bureau will achieve both greater accuracy and timeliness in the data generated under these surveys” said Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Labour and Employment.

Speaking on the occasion, ​BECIL CMD George Kuruvilla assured that his organisation will leave no stone unturned to complete surveys assigned to them on time with expected quality.

Labour Bureau chief DPS Negi said that it is for the first time that such IT enabled surveys will be undertaken by an organization on such a large scale.

He also informed that this year Bureau will launch and complete five All India Surveys on Migrant workers, Domestic workers, AQEES, employment generated by professionals and employment generated in transport sector. These All India Surveys will generate enormous data for devising the right policies for employment and welfare of labour.