Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Leads Key Labour Reforms Meeting in Rajkot

On September 15, 2024, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, chaired a major meeting on labour reforms and employment in Rajkot, Gujarat. The meeting included officials from five western states and union territories: Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and Lakshadweep. This was the third of six regional meetings organized by the Ministry of Labour & Employment to address key issues related to labour and employment.

Main Focus Areas

During the meeting, several important topics were discussed, including:

• Labour Reforms
• e-Shram (a government portal for unorganized workers)
• Building and Other Construction Workers (BoCW) welfare
• National Career Service (NCS) portal
• Employment Generation
• Employees State Insurance Corporation/Scheme (ESIC)

Dr. Mandaviya emphasized the government’s strong commitment to providing social protection to all workers, both in the organized and unorganized sectors. He noted that the Ministry is working to expand the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) to cover all districts in India. To achieve this, the government is focusing on better coordination between the Central Government, State Governments, and Union Territories, while using Information Technology (IT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve services for workers.

Expanding Medical Services

One of the key points Dr. Mandaviya highlighted was the plan to merge ESIS (the insurance scheme for workers) with the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). This will allow ESIC beneficiaries to access medical care at more than 30,000 hospitals across the country, including government, public sector, and private hospitals. This initiative will give workers better and faster access to healthcare, no matter where they live.

Improving Job Services with Technology

Dr. Mandaviya also spoke about the success of the National Career Service (NCS) portal, which provides a platform for job seekers and employers. The portal offers services such as:

• Job searching and matching
• Career counseling
• Vocational guidance

So far, more than 16 lakh jobs are active on the platform, and 3 crore job vacancies have been posted since the portal’s launch. The government is working to upgrade the NCS portal by using AI and integrating it with the e-Shram platform, making it easier for workers in both organized and unorganized sectors to find jobs.

Employment Data and Policy-Making

Dr. Mandaviya emphasized the importance of having accurate employment data. He proposed creating a centralized dashboard where employment data can be tracked and analyzed. This data would be shared with both the Centre and the States/UTs, helping them make better policies to boost employment generation.

He also called for more frequent feedback from workers and better communication between the Centre and the States/UTs. This feedback will help improve social protection and welfare schemes for workers.

Labour Laws and Employment Linked Incentives

Ms. Sumita Dawra, Secretary of Labour & Employment, spoke about the need for labour law reforms. The government is working to simplify 29 labour laws into just four labour codes, making them easier to understand and implement. She also noted that by 2030, 65% of India’s population will be of working age, which makes it essential to create more quality jobs.

The government has introduced five Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) schemes in the 2024-2025 Union Budget, with a budget of Rs. 2 lakh crore. These schemes aim to support businesses in generating formal employment while also helping the youth by offering skills development, quality jobs, and social protection.

e-Shram and BoCW Portal Progress

Secretary Dawra also discussed the progress of the e-Shram portal, which now has over 30 crore unorganized workers registered. She encouraged states to integrate their welfare schemes with the portal, ensuring that unorganized workers can easily access these programs. The BoCW MIS portal was also discussed, which helps in planning welfare programs for construction workers. States were urged to update their worker data to improve planning and fund allocation.

Insights from the Meeting

The meeting ended with representatives from the participating states and union territories sharing their experiences and best practices on labour and employment issues. They appreciated the government’s efforts to hold these regional meetings and provide support in the implementation of ongoing labour reforms.

Mr. Kamal Kishore Soan, Additional Secretary of Labour & Employment, thanked the state representatives for their participation and expressed his gratitude to the Rajkot administration for successfully organizing the meeting. The next regional meeting will be held in Bhubaneswar for the eastern states in the coming week.