Beijing: India today (Sep 13, 2004) said it would soon enact a law to guarantee 100 days of employment to one member of a poor family as part of the Government's effort to reduce poverty and provide a social security net to millions of unemployed.

"In India we intend to very soon enact a law to provide assured employment for 100 days in a year to one person in every poor family," Minister of Labour and Employment, Sis Ram Ola said while announcing a major policy decision of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government in the labour and social security sector.

Speaking during a panel discussion on the second day of the 28th General Assembly of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) in Beijing, Ola said the Government, which has been in power for just over 100 days, would utilise this labour force to create productive assets in the rural areas such as drinking water facilities, link roads and for soil and water harvesting.

"In most third world countries getting an assured job is the best social security measure we can think of," he said while noting that generating more employment is as much a part of providing social justice as of spreading the social security net.

Later the minister said his ministry would soon come out with specific proposals to guarantee 100 days of employment to one member of a poor family.

"My Ministry is currently working on it and we are keen to generate more employment opportunities for the rural masses," Ola said while acknowledging that financial resources was a problem.