Asking Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies to invest more in better transport facilities for its employees, Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Sachin Pilot on Monday said a plan was being prepared by the IT Department, BPO firms and other stakeholders to find ways to enhance safety and security for women employees, particularly those working on night shifts.
“We have identified seven cities from where over 90 per cent of BPO jobs are generated…we will form monitoring bodies comprising various stakeholders to ensure the safety of women employees. We will involve State governments, police administration, BPO firms and even residents' welfare organisations to device a mechanism that adds to the safety and security of women IT employees. These groups will meet once in three months for review and improvement of the safety mechanism,” Mr. Pilot told The Hindu .
In view of the rape of a BPO employee in Delhi recently, Mr. Pilot held a high-level meeting attended by representatives of the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) and BPOs operating in Delhi and neighbouring townships of Gurgaon and Noida, besides senior police officials. “We discussed ways to provide foolproof security measures for BPO employees,” he said.
Sunrise sector
Stating that the BPO sector provided jobs to 25 lakh employees, 40 per cent of which are women, Mr. Pilot said: “It is a sunrise sector and we cannot allow any stigma to be attached to it…BPO companies need to be extra sensitive to the needs as employees' safety is of prime concern. We should have a zero tolerance approach towards any kind of crime against women employees and special courts would be set up to ensure quick justice.”
Some measures that would soon come to effect include a consistent monitoring of pick-up and drop-off facility for women employees.
Mr. Pilot said a database of workers employed in jobs like providing cab facility and catering was being prepared, as these were the people who know about the movements of women employees, and were found to be behind such crimes. The police administration would also work closely with the BPO industry, he added.
