61. The Committee recommends that the State party reinforce its programmes designed to reduce unemployment and in this regard, to target on a priority basis the most affected groups and regions. In this connection, the Committee recommends that the State party consider ratifying the ILO Convention No. 2 (1919) on Unemployment. The Committee further recommends that the State party take necessary measures to ensure effectively the full implementation of the provisions foreseen under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. 62. The Committee encourages the State party to ensure that the state minimum wages are fully enforced throughout its territory, and in all sectors, with a view to enabling all workers and their families to enjoy an adequate standard of living. The Committee also encourages the State party to establish an effective system of indexation and regular adjustment of the minimum wage to the cost of living. 63. The Committee recommends that the State party remove, in law and practice, obstacles to trade unions’ rights to conduct collective bargaining, and to pay particular attention to the workers’ rights in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Export Processing Zones (EPZs). In particular, the Committee recommends that the State party consider amending the 1964 Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rule with a view to lifting the restrictions imposed on civil servants’ right to join trade unions and on their right to strike, and to clearly define “essential services” as stipulated by the Essential Services Maintenance Act. The Committee recommends that the State party to consider ratifying the ILO Convention No. 98 (1949) on the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining. 64. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt the Unorganized Sector Workers Social Security Bill without delay, and ensure, in line with the Committee’s general recommendation No.19 (2007)on the right to social security,, that the very large sections of the population which are still not adequately covered by the social security system of the State party become entitled to social security benefits which provide for the minimum standards in respect of, inter alia, health, maternity benefit, old age benefit, labour accident insurance and dependants benefit. The Committee recommends that the State party consider ratifying the ILO Convention No.102 (1952) on Social Security (Minimum Standards), and requests that it provide detailed information in its next periodic report on the extent of the coverage of its social security system for the unorganized/informal sector. 65. The Committee strongly recommends that the State party strictly enforce the law prohibiting harmful and discriminatory practices that violate the rights of women and girls, and to undertake effective public education measures, including awareness-raising programmes designed to eliminate gender-based prejudices, traditional practices and provisions of personal status laws that are harmful and discriminatory to women and girls. The Committee requests that the State party provide detailed information in its next periodic report on the extent of these practices and the measures being taken to strictly enforce its laws for the protection of women and girls from such harmful practices. 66. The Committee recommends that the State party enact a law that criminalizes trafficking in persons and commercial sexual exploitation of women and children. The Committee also recommends that the State party, while strengthening its efforts to bring perpetrators to justice, ensure that victims are not penalized and are systematically provided with rehabilitation and legal assistance. The Committee further recommends that the State party strengthen preventive measures, such as awareness-raising campaigns, that target economically-depressed areas as well as disadvantaged and marginalized groups. 67. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act and Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code are enforced effectively in all of its states and union territories, and that law enforcement officials, judges, lawyers, social workers and medical professionals are duly trained on the serious and criminal nature of domestic violence.The Committee requests that the State party provide in its next periodic report, detailed information on the extent of domestic violence, and on the legislative and other measures taken to address this phenomenon, including facilities and remedies provided for victims. 68. The Committee recommends that the State party, in the context of the Eleventh Plan (2007-12), take urgent measures to address the issue of poverty and food insecurity. In this regard, the Committee recommends that the State party review its national poverty threshold,taking into account its Statement on Poverty and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, adopted on 4 May 2001 (E/2002/22-E/C.12/2001/17, annex VII)and establish specific mechanisms to monitor the implementation of poverty-reduction strategies and evaluate the progress achieved.The Committee requests the State party to provide, in its next periodic report, detailed annual data on the incidence and depth of poverty, disaggregated by gender, caste, ethnicity and by region. 69. The Committee urges the State party, in addition to the full implementation of the planned farmer debt waiver programme, to take all necessary measures to address the extreme poverty among small-holding farmersand to increase agricultural productivity as a