Union Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya will chair a two-day “National Conference with Labour Ministers and Secretaries of States/UTs” in New Delhi on 29-30, January 2025. Minister of State for Labour & Employment and MSMEs, Ms. Shobha Karandlaje will also attend the meeting and Ms. Sumita Dawra, Secretary (Labour & Employment) will set the context for the deliberations.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment is organizing this national meeting for strengthening collaboration with all 36 States and Union Territories on Labour Reforms, Social Security for Organized and Unorganized Workers, including Gig and Platform workers, expanding ESIC medical infrastructure and healthcare facilities, and improving employability through National Career Service (NCS) Portal and Model Career Centres (MCC).

Exchange of insights, experiences and best practices will take place on key labour and employment issues, including harmonization of the draft rules of States and UTs under Labour Codes, and key labour reforms being undertaken by States/UTs under the existing framework in line with the spirit of Labour Codes. States & UTs will showcase reforms undertaken by them and share experience of best practices.

The meeting also aims at capacity building of stakeholders for transformation of role of Inspector to Inspector-cum-Facilitator. These reforms are aimed at both facilitating growth of industry including MSMEs and Start-Ups to promote generation of quality employment through ease of doing business & reduction of compliance burden, as well as for promoting labour welfare and female work-force participation, etc.

Key objective of the meeting is to accelerate convergence in efforts of the Central Government, States, and Union Territories for building a streamlined and consistent legal and administrative framework for reforms aimed at benefitting both workers and employers.

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Himanshu Pathak