Descriptive Memoir of Ministry of Labour as on 1st April 1954

Abstract

The Ministry of Labour in its present form came into existence in April 1946 when the old Department of Labour was bifurcated into the Department of Labour and the Department of Works, Mines and Power. Functions The Ministry is mainly concerned with subjects like welfare of Labour, trade unions, industrial and labour disputes, factory labour, unemployment insurance, health insurance, which appear in the Union and Concurrent Lists of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. The Central Government is responsible only for laying down policy for the whole of India in such matters, while the implementation of the policy is the responsibility of the Slate Governments concerned subject to the control and direction of the Central Government. In respect of the labour employed in railways, major ports, mines and oil-fields appearing in the Union List, however, the Centre carries full responsibility.