Key Points:
- UP Outsource Service Corporation (UPCOS) to be established under the Companies Act, with full reservation for SC, ST, OBC, EWS, women, Divyangjan, and ex-servicemen in all recruitments.
- Special priority for destitute, divorced, and abandoned women in hiring.
- Corporation will safeguard labor rights, guarantee timely salaries, and ensure social security for lakhs of outsourcing workers.
- Board of Directors, led by the Chief Secretary, to oversee operations; committees at district and divisional levels.
- Strict regulatory powers: agencies face blacklisting, penalties, and legal action for violations.
- No outsourcing allowed for regular government posts.
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government, under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has approved the formation of the UP Outsource Service Corporation (UPCOS), a landmark initiative aimed at protecting the rights and welfare of the state’s vast outsourcing workforce. UPCOS will be set up under the Companies Act and is designed to bring transparency, stability, and accountability to outsourcing practices across UP.
Inclusive Recruitment and Social Justice
UPCOS will implement comprehensive reservation policies for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), women, Divyangjan (persons with disabilities), and ex-servicemen in all its recruitments. The corporation will also give special priority to destitute, divorced, and abandoned women, reflecting a strong commitment to social justice and vulnerable groups.
Improving Worker Rights and Social Security
The corporation’s core mission is to safeguard the labor rights, fair remuneration, and social security of lakhs of outsourcing workers in the state. This includes ensuring that all employees receive their salaries directly in their bank accounts by the 5th of every month, and that EPF and ESI contributions are deposited on time. Workers will also be guaranteed all benefits approved under EPF, ESIC, and banking regulations.
Transparent Administration and Regulatory Oversight
A Board of Directors and a Director General, led by the Chief Secretary, will manage UPCOS. Committees will be established at both district and divisional levels to oversee implementation and operations. Outsourcing agencies will be selected via the Gem portal for a minimum of three years, with preference given to current employees based on their experience.
UPCOS will serve as a regulatory authority, monitoring the practices of outsourcing agencies. In cases of non-compliance such as salary delays, benefit cuts, or harassment the corporation is empowered to take strict action, including blacklisting, debarment, financial penalties, and legal proceedings.
No Outsourcing for Regular Posts
The Chief Minister has made it clear that no outsourcing services will be used to fill regular government positions, ensuring that outsourcing is not misused to bypass standard recruitment processes.
Addressing Past Issues
CM Yogi highlighted that the current fragmented system of agency selection often leads to salary delays, lack of transparency, and denial of statutory benefits. UPCOS aims to resolve these issues by centralizing and standardizing outsourcing practices, thereby restoring confidence and stability for workers across the state.
This sweeping reform is expected to bring a revolutionary change in the administration of outsourcing services in Uttar Pradesh, setting new benchmarks for worker welfare and transparency in government contracting.
