Employment exchanges to act as guidance centres: K Suresh

Employment exchanges in the country would soon double up as guidance centres, Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment K Suresh said on Tuesday.  "Employment exchanges do not serve much purpose at present and it would be much better if they are equipped with more utility," Suresh said at the Madhya Pradesh Congress unit office in Bhopal.

Once guidance centres start working along with employment exchanges, they would be able to provide information even about jobs in the private sector, he said. The minister said he had toured most states in the country to get a first-hand account of how labour departments were functioning there.

The performance of the Employees' State Insurance (ESI) scheme in Madhya Pradesh was not satisfactory as it was implemented only in 21 out of 50 districts in the state, he said.  It was for the state government to write to the Centre and increase the presence of ESI scheme in the state, the minister added.