The global economy is $93 trillion while China enjoys a lion’s share of 20 to 22% of this, Rajesh Khosla, CEO, AGI Greenpac, says.
Hyderabad, July 28 (The CONNECT) – China is pumping a lot of money into India to create industrial unrest after losing many of its manufacturing bases, a top corporate honcho has said here.
It may be a politically sensitive matter, but it is the ground reality, said Rajesh Khosla, CEO of glass container maker AGI Greenpac, speaking as a guest of honour at the HR conclave organised by the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) on Saturday.
This statement assumes significance in view of the reports that India is officially gunning for increased Chinese funding to meet the capital needs.
The conference with the theme ‘Work, Employment and Industrial Relations’ was inaugurated by J Chandrasekharam, Telangana Joint Commissioner of Labour.
Khosla explained that the size of the global economy is $93 trillion while China enjoys a lion’s share of 20 to 22% of this.
All the countries across the globe are eyeing to buy products from India as a manufacturing base is shifting to India, he said and asked if India is prepared to offer quality of products and good behaviour? “We are buying the best of the best machines and processes. But where are the people to run them? £he asked.
India is experiencing a very peculiar situation, he said and argued that on the one hand, the country has a lot of unemployed people, while on the other companies are crying for employees. The problem lies in the skill gap, Khosla said and called upon HR professionals to train the unemployed youth and make them job-ready.
Speaking of HR challenges, Rajesh Khosla said that manufacturing is shifting to India. HR needs to prepare the workforce for the same as well. The Western population is getting old and Indians are young. The Indian young population has a Western outlook. We must make employment interesting and attractive to them. Otherwise, the cream of the talent will go to the west for greener pastures.
Khosla said India is the youngest nation in the world. The mean age of India is 28 years, China 38, USA 40, Europe 45 and Japan 50. This means 70 to 80 crore population of the 140-crore population of our country is in the pipeline of employment. It is a big challenge for HR (Human Resources) to engage these youth.
Another big challenge which will loom large soon Rajesh Khosla said is the dependence of the workforce/labour from UP and Bihar. In the recent union budget, a lot of sops were announced for Bihar. If Bihar grows industrially because of these sops, it will generate employment for local people. And the labourers who were coming to Telangana to work will find employment in their state. This will result in a shortage of the labour force and poses a major challenge for the HR Fraternity.
Addressing gathering, Chandrasekharam said labour departments across the country are gearing up for the implementation of new Labour Codes in India. The four new labour codes proposed are the Code on Social Security 2020, Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020, Industrial Relations Code 2020, and Code on Wages 2019. These were proposed with a motto of ease of doing business. The union government consolidated 29 central labour laws (out of 44 existing central laws) into four labour codes, he said.
He said the Government has to be the facilitator. “We need to ensure a conducive environment. When foreign companies come to invest here, they should not get culture shock. We need to create a friendly environment,” he said.
While delivering the keynote address, the guest of honour Rajesh
Meela Sanjay, Chairperson of the HR committee of FTCCI in his introductory address said the labour codes have received the approval of both houses of the parliament as well as Hon. President’s assent. The final notification of making these codes effective is something which has been on the anvil for some time now. Now that the elections are over and the new government is in place, the implementation of the labour codes may take centre very soon.
Ravi Kumar, Senior vice president pf FTCCI while proposing a vote of thanks said that HR must be the first department in any business set-up and should be accorded due credit because it manages people. It is the people who make or mar any organization, he added.
