Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (September 20) to introduce a Social Security Law in the country, emphasising the importance of ensuring daily livelihood arrangements for every family. In his speech in the state's capital, Gehlot emphasised the importance of social security as a government responsibility, drawing parallels with past legislative accomplishments.
"I insist the PM to make the Social Security Law in the country... It is time that the government should arrange daily livelihood for every family... It is called social security... Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi passed four laws in Parliament, right to education, right to food security..., NREGA and right to information. You (PM Modi) should bring the 5th law, that is social security... The social security of all citizens would be the government's responsibility," Gehlot was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
What Is Social Security Agreement?
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Social Security Agreements (SSA) are bilateral treaties signed by countries to protect the interests of cross-border workers. In an era of increasing globalisation, SSAs play a crucial role in protecting workers' rights. Simply put, a social security agreement (SSA) is an agreement between two countries that protects the interests of cross-border workers. SSAs, in particular, prevent "double coverage" and ensure equitable treatment of workers from both the host and home countries in terms of social security benefits.
Beyond providing enhanced social security coverage for active workers, international social security agreements ensure the continuity of benefit protection for individuals who have accrued social security credits in one country's system. In a world where people are increasingly seeking employment abroad, such agreements guarantee that retirement benefits are not forfeited for individuals who have worked in multiple countries, according to the Ministry of Labour & Employment.
Prior to 2008, foreign workers in India were not covered by the Provident Fund (PF) scheme, as PF contributions were not obligatory for employees earning wages exceeding the ceiling. Conversely, Indian expatriates working overseas were required to contribute to the social security system of their host country, according to the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). However, many of these contributions went to waste, either due to the brevity of overseas service or a failure to meet the minimum qualifying contribution or residency requirements.
To rectify the disparity between foreign nationals and Indian workers in India, the Indian government introduced special provisions within the Provident Fund and Pension Scheme in 2008. This created a new category of workers known as 'International Workers' (IW).
IW encompasses foreign nationals working in establishments in India that are mandated to contribute to the Provident Fund. Consequently, every eligible IW was obligated to enroll in these schemes, effective from November 1, 2008. This measure aimed to level the playing field for Indians employed abroad and to nullify any undue advantages enjoyed by foreign nationals working in India. It also opened avenues for India to negotiate Social Security Agreements (SSAs) with countries having a significant inflow of people into India.
Countries With Social Security Agreement
According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, India has signed social security treaties with 20 countries. The first SSA was signed in 2006 with Belgium and became operational in 2009.
- Austria
- Australia
- Brazil
- Belgium
- Canada
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Hungary
- Japan
- Korea
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Portugal
- Quebec (Canada)
- Sweden
- Switzerland