Bihar seeks Centre`s go-ahead for labour law flexibility
zeenews.com

New Delhi, Dec 09: Seeking a special and differential fund devolution
formula, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today asked the centre to
provide it flexibility in labour laws to improve competitiveness of
industry in the state.

"While improved infrastructure is central, so is the need for
flexibility in the application of labour regulations," he said at the
National Development Council (NDC) meeting held to approve the
approach paper for the 11th five-year plan.

"States, particularly those who have mounting problems of unemployment
and wish to take advantage of their factor endowments should be
permitted to interpret or apply regulations more flexibly to improve
competitiveness," Kumar said.

He said a special and differential dispensation including a revised
formula for devolution beyond the recommendations of the 12th Finance
Commission for demographically large and developmentally weak states
required serious consideration.

Describing the present measures as 'grossly inadequate', Kumar said
energy deficient states like Bihar should be given special treatment.

Expressing disappointment at the absence of the river linking plan,
the Chief Minister said Bihar would all the same go ahead with the
ambitious programme.

"We, in Bihar certainly intend to go ahead with considering the
feasibility of implementing a river inter- linking strategy to
optimise water availability," he said, adding that while north Bihar
is water surplus, south Bihar faced endemic deficit.

He said the incentive programmes for states like Himachal Pradesh and
Uttaranchal should also be extended to other industry deficient areas.

Bureau Report