Labour secretary Vandana Gurnani has urged states to fast-track labour code rules, avoid overlaps with Shops and Establishments Acts, and strengthen Centre-state coordination
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The labour secretary also encouraged states to actively use the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY) dashboard and strengthen Centre–state collaboration to expand Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) coverage
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Labour secretary Vandana Gurnani on Wednesday urged states to expedite the finalisation of labour code rules and asked them to avoid overlaps of provisions with Shops and Establishments Acts.
Gurnani was speaking at a two-day regional conference in Jaipur on Wednesday to facilitate the smooth implementation of the four new labour codes. The conference was inaugurated by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje.
The labour secretary also encouraged states to actively use the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY) dashboard and strengthen Centre–state collaboration to expand Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) coverage.
This is the second of six regional conferences planned by the central government, covering all states, Union Territories and key stakeholders. The first was held in Goa on January 7 and 8.
In her address, Karandlaje, emphasising cooperative federalism, called for stronger Centre–state coordination, last-mile dissemination of information, expansion of ESIC coverage, formulation of schemes to address international labour mobility, and promotion of employment generation through the PMVBRY.
Senior officers of the ministry and the states made presentations on the preparedness of rules under the new labour codes and the status of IT readiness, said a statement by the labour ministry. The conference saw detailed deliberations on issues relating to the framing of rules under the codes and the feasibility of integrating state systems with the central IT framework.
The four new labour codes were brought into force on November 21, and the government put them out for public consultation on December 30. Upon releasing the draft rules, the Centre invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders for a period of 30 to 45 days.
At the conferences, the government aims to deliberate on rules and regulations, identify gaps and divergences, expedite the issuance of statutory notifications, and discuss the constitution of boards, funds and related institutional mechanisms.
The government has previously said it aims to make the four codes fully effective from the next financial year, FY27. Before that, it will notify the finalised rules once stakeholder consultations are concluded and suggestions are taken into account.
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