CONTENT:
- PROJECT SEABIRD
- INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION
PROJECT SEABIRD
Focus: Internal Security
Why in News ?
Ministry of Defence visited the Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka to review the progress of ongoing infrastructure development under ‘Project Seabird’.
About Project Seabird
- It is the largest naval infrastructure project for India.
- Th project aims at creation of a naval base at Karwar on the west coast of India.
- It is a $3 billion decade-long project.
- After the completion of the project the Kawar Naval Base would become Asia’s largest Naval base
- This would further bolster the operational readiness of the Armed Forces and help in augmenting trade, economy & humanitarian aid operations.
- Also the largest naval base east of the Suez Canal.
- Construction of naval air station is one of the major highlights of the second phase.
Major Facilities
- A specialised dockyard repair and maintenance facilities
- Covered dry berths for ships and submarines
- New technologically advanced security and communication systems
- Naval Air Station
- Various utilities systems as well as housing and residential complexes at multiple locations
Indian Naval Command
- The Indian Navy currently operates three commands
- Western Naval Command located at Mumbai
- Southern Naval Command located at Kochi
- Eastern Naval Command located at Visakhapatnam.
- The Andaman and Nicobar Command, a unified Indian Navy, Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Coast Guard Command was set up in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2001.
- The major bases of the Indian Navy are located at Mumbai, Goa, Karwar, Kochi, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata and Port Blair.
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION
Focus: International Relations
Why in News?
India’s term as Chairperson of Governing Body of International Labour Organisation comes to an end.
About ILO
- Established in 1919 by the Treaty of Versailles as an affiliated agency of the League of Nations.
- Became the first affiliated specialized agency of the United Nations in 1946.
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Promotes internationally recognized human and labour rights.
- The basis of the ILO is the tripartite principle, i.e. the negotiations within the organization are held between the representatives of governments, trade unions, and member-states’ employers.
Functions:
- Creation of coordinated policies and programs, directed at solving social and labour issues.
- Adoption of international labour standards in the form of conventions and recommendations and control over their implementation.
- Assistance to member-states in solving social and labour problems.
- Human rights protection (the right to work, freedom of association, collective negotiations, protection against forced labour, protection against discrimination, etc.).
- Research and publication of works on social and labour issues.
Objectives of the ILO
- To promote and realize standards and fundamental principles and rights at work.
- To create greater opportunities for women and men to secure decent employment.
- To enhance the coverage and effectiveness of social protection for all.
- To strengthen tripartism and social dialogue.
The eight-core conventions of the ILO are:
- Forced Labour Convention (No. 29)
- Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (No.105)
- Equal Remuneration Convention (No.100)
- Discrimination (Employment Occupation) Convention (No.111)
- Minimum Age Convention (No.138)
- Worst forms of Child Labour Convention (No.182)
- Freedom of Association and Protection of Right to Organised Convention (No.87)
- Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention (No.98)
India and ILO
- India is a founding member of the ILO and it has been a permanent member of the ILO Governing Body since 1922.
- India has ratified six out of the eight-core/fundamental ILO conventions. These conventions are:
- Forced Labour Convention (No. 29)
- Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (No.105)
- Equal Remuneration Convention (No.100)
- Discrimination (Employment Occupation) Convention (No.111)
- Minimum Age Convention (No.138)
- Worst forms of Child Labour Convention (No.182)
- India has not ratified the two core/fundamental conventions, namely Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).
- The main reason for non-ratification of ILO conventions No.87 & 98 is due to certain restrictions imposed on the government servants.
- The ratification of these conventions would involve granting of certain rights that are prohibited under the statutory rules, for the government employees, namely, the right to strike, to openly criticize government policies, to freely accept a financial contribution, to freely join foreign organizations etc.
