National
Parliament passes Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill (Lead)
New Delhi, March 22 (IANS) Parliament on Thursday passed the Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill which seeks to empower the government to fix the period of maternity leave and the tax-free gratuity amount with an executive order.
The Bill got Parliament’s approval after it was passed by the Rajya Sabha through a voice vote. It was passed amid din by the Lok Sabha on March 15.
The Bill will now be sent to President Ram Nath Kovind, whose assent will validate it as a law.
The passage of the bill paves the way for government to enhance the ceiling on tax-free gratuity to Rs 20 lakh from the existing Rs 10 lakh for formal sector employees, under the Payment of Gratuity Act.
Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar moved the Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which was passed by a voice vote without any discussion.
“I would urge the chair to pass the Bill without discussion,” said Gangwar while moving the Bill.
Earlier, Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu held a meeting with the leaders of different political parties and sought their cooperation for the passage of the Bill.
Hailing the passage of Bill as a historic move, the government thanked the opposition parties for their support.
Talking to reporters, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said: “It’s historic and an indication that this government is pro-worker and committed for their cause.”
He said that a group of ministers met the Chairman before the start of proceedings and urged him to pass the Bill, as it was for the workers.
“Without support of opposition parties it was not possible. Now, the workers will get benefits of the Bill,” he said, adding that the government would soon send the Bill to the President for his assent.
The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, provides for payment of gratuity to employees in any establishment, factory, mine, oil field, plantation, port, railways, company, or shop that employs 10 or more workers.
Employees are paid gratuity if they have offered at least five years of continuous service at the time of termination.
This Bill empowers the Central government to notify the period of maternity leave eligible for qualifying as continuous service and determine the amount of gratuity available to employees.
The maximum maternity leave, for the purpose of calculating continuous service under the Act, was based on the maternity leave provided under the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.
The maximum maternity leave under the 1961 Act was changed from 12 weeks to 26 weeks by the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017. The latest Bill removes the reference to 12 weeks and empowers the Central government to notify the maximum maternity leave period.
Under the existing Act, the maximum amount of gratuity payable to an employee cannot exceed Rs 10 lakh. But, this Bill removes the existing ceiling and states that the ceiling may be notified by the Central government.
At present, the formal sector workers with five or more years of service are eligible for Rs 10 lakh tax-free gratuity after leaving job or at the time of superannuation.
The Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2017 was initiated in the Lok Sabha by Gangwar on December 18, 2017.
–IANS
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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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