Centre to amend compensation law

• Millions of people working in the unorganised sector, who sustain injuries at their workplace, will soon be eligible for higher compensation from employers as the Union Cabinet has approved amendments to the Employee’s Compensation Act of 1923.

• Although there has been no official communication on the approval given by the Union Cabinet, top labour ministry officials said Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya moved the labour law amendments to the Lok Sabha Secretariat and it is expected to be introduced in the Lower House in the next few days.

• Injury or death

According to the amendments approved by the Cabinet, employers will be liable for penalty amount in the range of Rs.50,000-Rs.1 lakh, up substantially from Rs.500 at present, in case they fail to report the authorities about an accident occurring in work premises leading to injuries, serious body injuries or death of a worker.

“The law will ensure that employees are not harassed by the employers for a small amount of compensation. This proposal will help employees get at least Rs.10,000 as compensation without facing legal hurdles,” said another senior labour ministry official.

‘India taking up fake brands issue with China’

• “On receipt of complaints from Indian companies, the cases of copyright or trademark violations are taken up at appropriate levels with relevant government agencies in China by Embassy of India, Beijing,” had recently said Nirmala Sitaraman, Commerce and Industry Minister.

• Fake goods

The assurance comes even as the Indian customs recently seized crores of rupees worth of fake Lakme, Ponds, Fair & Lovely products.

According to the Centre, the Embassy of India has come across instances of Chinese companies infringing upon copyright or trademark of Indian brands and products such as Natraj, Raymond, JK Files and Tools, Fevicol, Onida, Godrej, Boroplus, Dabur and some Indian incense stick brands.

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), one of the largest fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies said it has been actively countering this problem under its Combating Unfair Competition (CUC) programme.

• Chinese system

“China recognises a “first to file” system, which means that the rights of trademark belongs to the first person/company who properly registers the trademark in China. “The Chinese side has acted upon few of the cases by allowing the Indian companies to register with the Trademark Office of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce of China. However, the onus of trademark registration and protection in China lies on the enterprises concerned,” said Ms. Sitaraman.

As per the extant rules in China, the individual enterprise has to file a case in relevant forum by hiring a law firm on reported instances of trademark/copyright infringements. “We raised this matter with the concerned authorities and sought help in dealing with makers of spurious Dabur products in China,” said a Dabur spokesperson

We have missed the 2020 bus, says Jaitley

• Delivering the first Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Memorial Lecture at Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce whose first death anniversary was on Wednesday, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley that there was a need for credible politics to ensure there can be credible policies that deliver the GDP growth rates that will make India a developed country at least by 2030, ten years later than the goal given by the former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. “We can’t have another spectrum scam,” he said.                                                                                   

• ‘Focus on education’                                                                                                                                  “Dr. Kalam’s vision of becoming developed by 2020 doesn’t seem possible now, we have missed the bus, the date will have to be pushed...what can we do to achieve it by 2030,” he said. Dr. Kalam, he said, spoke of a system of providing urban-like facilities in rural areas and laid emphasis on education and the development of scientific temperament. Mr. Jaitley said “we cannot afford to have Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the IT hubs that are representatives of India globally, in the condition they have been over the last few hours”. The monsoon rains have brought the two cities to their knees.

• GST advantage                                                                                                                              The BJP-led NDA government had emphasised large scale investment in infrastructure, including in highways and irrigation, the Finance Minister said, was in line with Dr. Kalam’s vision. The Goods & Services Tax, a uniform tax across the country, in this regard was important not only because it would lower the burden of taxation but also improve the ease of doing business, making India attractive to investors.

Protests manufactured, alleges U.P. BJP chief

• Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya has described reports of BJP leaders being asked to leave the public meetings of the Dharma-Dhamma Chetana Yatra, following former state BJP office bearer Daya Shankar Singh’s objectionable remarks about Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, as a manufactured event.

• BJP national president Amit Shah had to cancel his appearance at one of these meetings, scheduled for Saturday, fearing a backlash. The yatra, led by Buddhist monk Dharma Viriyo, is travelling to at least 1,400 Bodh Viharas, mostly in Dalit-dominated areas of Uttar Pradesh, and is supportive of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.