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New Delhi\/Goa, January 7, 2026 | Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, on Wednesday virtually inaugurated a two-day Regional Level Conference in Goa, marking the beginning of a nationwide series of six such conferences aimed at ensuring the smooth and effective implementation of the four Labour Codes across India.<\/p>\n
Organised by the Ministry of Labour & Employment, the conference brings together representatives from States and Union Territories, senior officials, and key stakeholders to deliberate on critical issues related to labour reforms, including the functioning of the Employees\u2019 State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), the Employees\u2019 Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), and the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY). The regional conferences are designed to cover all States and UTs and serve as an important consultative platform to address implementation challenges and align administrative processes.<\/p>\n
Addressing the conference via video conferencing, Dr. Mandaviya appreciated the proactive role played by States in amending their existing labour laws to align them with the provisions of the four Labour Codes even before their enforcement. He said this reflects a shared national commitment towards labour reforms and workers\u2019 welfare. The Union Minister noted that with improved clarity on labour issues and a renewed focus on employee well-being, the Labour Codes have come into effect from November 21, 2025.<\/p>\n
He highlighted several progressive provisions introduced under the new framework, including annual health check-ups for workers, expanded social security coverage for those engaged in hazardous activities even in establishments employing a single worker, mandatory issuance of appointment letters, and a major reform in gratuity eligibility, which has been reduced to one year from the earlier requirement of five years. Dr. Mandaviya said these reforms aim to promote equity, dignity and security for workers while simplifying compliance for employers.<\/p>\n
The Minister added that the Centre and States will continue to work in close coordination to ensure the effective and uniform implementation of the Labour Codes. He also pointed out that India\u2019s landmark labour reforms have received positive recognition internationally, including coverage by global publications such as Global Times<\/em> and The Economist<\/em>. States were urged to actively engage in ongoing discussions, flag emerging issues and contribute constructively to ensure timely solutions and smooth execution of the new legal framework.<\/p>\n Union Labour Secretary Ms. Vandana Gurnani, addressing the gathering, said the four Labour Codes have been formulated by rationalising 29 existing labour laws with the objective of simplifying procedures, reducing multiplicity of regulations and strengthening worker welfare. She noted that the Codes incorporate several forward-looking measures, such as a web-based inspection system, universalisation of social security, and extensive use of digital platforms to improve transparency and efficiency.<\/p>\n Ms. Gurnani informed that the Central Government has pre-published the draft Rules under the Labour Codes on December 30, 2025, while provisions that do not require Rules came into force on November 21, 2025. She urged States and Union Territories to notify their respective Rules at the earliest, after due consultation with their law departments, to ensure uniform and timely implementation.<\/p>\n To support States in this transition, the Ministry has released a detailed FAQs handbook, initiated capacity-building programmes through the V.V. Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI), and prepared a draft inspection scheme for sharing with States. She also highlighted major digital initiatives through the Shram Suvidha and Samadhan portals, stressing the need for seamless API integration at the State level.<\/p>\n The Labour Secretary further encouraged States to actively participate in outreach efforts under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, address overlaps with Shops and Establishments Acts through continued dialogue, and fully leverage the expanded ESIC coverage under the Labour Codes. She said special emphasis is being placed on extending social security benefits to gig and platform workers, and States were encouraged to explore the inclusion of contract and outsourced workers under the ESI framework to set an example as model employers.<\/p>\n The conference is serving as a comprehensive platform for discussions on Rules and Regulations under the Labour Codes, identification of gaps and divergences, expedited issuance of statutory notifications, and deliberations on the constitution of Boards, Funds and other institutional mechanisms. Detailed consultations are also being held on schemes to be framed under the Codes, IT systems required for implementation, and strengthening digital infrastructure.<\/p>\n In addition, the sessions are focusing on capacity building of field-level functionaries and enhancing awareness among States, Union Territories and other stakeholders regarding the objectives, benefits and implementation framework of the Labour Codes.<\/p>\n Senior officers from the Ministry of Labour & Employment and representatives from participating States and Union Territories attended the conference and actively contributed to the deliberations, underlining the collective resolve to translate labour reforms into tangible benefits for workers and employers alike.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Centre and States deliberate on smooth rollout of four Labour Codes, ESIC, EPFO reforms and Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5311,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[116,246,27],"tags":[883],"class_list":["post-5310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking-news","category-ministry-of-law","category-national","tag-new-labour-codes"],"yoast_head":"\n