The centre has recently taken some initiatives to boost employment generation in textiles and retail sector.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY), employers would be provided an incentive for enhancing employment by reimbursement of the 8.33 per cent Employer’s Pension Scheme (EPS) contribution made by the employer in respect of new employment, Bandaru Dattatreya, minister of state for labour and employment has said in a reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

In addition to this, for the textile sector dealing with the manufacture of wearing apparel (except fur apparel and manufacturing of knitted and crocheted apparel), government will reimburse the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) contribution of 3.67 per cent in addition to paying EPS contribution to 8.33 per cent.

The government has also decided for introduction of Fixed Term Employment for apparel and manufacturing sector under Section 15(1) of Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946, the minister said.

Further, the government has prepared a Model Shops & Establishment (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Bill, 2016 for retail sectors, and has circulated it to state governments for adopting the same as it is or modifying their existing State Shops and Establishment Act as per their requirement. The bill will cover all the establishments employing ten or more workers except for manufacturing units.