NEW DELHI: With an eye on strengthening the labour market data, the statistics ministry has set up a high-powered experts committee to examine issues linked to the informal sector employment, moonlighting, seasonal migration, and the gig and platform work.The 22-member panel, constituted on June 9, will be headed by Institute for Human Development (IHD) professor Alakh Sharma and, among other things, will also review the adequacy of existing labour market indicators and their publication timelines.“The committee shall, inter alia, examine the concepts, definitions, classifications, sampling and measurement frameworks adopted in labour statistics, particularly in the context of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS),” the terms of reference of the newly formed committee read.It will also review the classification frameworks presently adopted in labour statistics, including industry, occupation, status of employment, and enterprise characteristics. The committee will have a term of two years and will also witness participation from Niti Aayog, labour ministry and skill ministry, along with education ministry.Besides, it will also examine issues relating to development of demand-side labour market indicators in India, including measurement of labour demand, job vacancies, labour turnover, occupational demand, skill requirements and job–skill mismatch.“The committee may also examine the use of administrative and alternative data sources including National Career Service (NCS), MCA databases, job portals, enterprise/ HR administrative datasets and other digital labour market information systems for generation of high-frequency demand-side indicators,” the order said.The committee will also examine the implications of the international definitions related to forms of work, informal employment, own-use production work, unpaid trainee work and suggest suitable adaptations to the Indian context, in line with recommendations of the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians.
