New Labour Codes to Protect Workers, Boost Jobs: Shobha Karandlaje
Highlighting initiatives for women workers, Subhash said measures were being taken to increase women’s participation in the workforce, ensure their safety from workplace to home and guarantee equal wages without gender discrimination.
Vijayawada: Union minister of state for labour and employment Shobha Karandlaje on Tuesday said the newly introduced labour codes aim to safeguard workers’ rights, expand employment opportunities and create an industry-friendly climate.
Addressing the Regional Conference of Labour & Employment and Industry Secretaries of States and Union Territories at a city hotel, Karandlaje said the four labour codes, which came into force on November 21, would bring transformative changes for both workers and employers. She said the earlier framework of 29 labour laws, many dating back to the British era, was no longer suited to the needs of a modern and evolving workforce.
Stressing the need for progressive legislation for a new generation in “New India”, the minister said the labour and employment ministry, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, consolidated the outdated laws into four comprehensive codes. She noted that labour is largely a state subject and nearly 90 per cent of the responsibility for implementation lies with state governments.
“This is why regional conferences are being held across the country to sensitise ministers and officials on effective implementation at the state, district and mandal levels,” she said, adding that similar conferences had already been conducted in Goa and Jaipur, with Vijayawada hosting the third. She said upcoming conferences would be held in Lucknow and Guwahati.
Karandlaje said the new codes seek to extend EPFO and ESI benefits to nearly 90 per cent of workers in the unorganised sector. Key provisions include equal wages for equal work for women and mandatory payment of wages within one week of completion of work.
State labour minister Vasamsetty Subhash said it was a matter of pride that Andhra Pradesh was hosting the third regional conference. He said the meet would help dispel misconceptions among workers regarding the new labour codes and improve awareness.
Highlighting initiatives for women workers, Subhash said measures were being taken to increase women’s participation in the workforce, ensure their safety from workplace to home and guarantee equal wages without gender discrimination.
He also outlined major ESI infrastructure projects, including a 50-seat ESI medical college in Visakhapatnam, a new medical college in Amaravati, a 150-bed secondary care hospital and a 500-bed super-speciality hospital. Land has been allotted for ESI hospitals in Nellore, Sri City, Guntur and Kurnool, while construction has commenced for an ESI hospital in Vizianagaram. He said workplace medical camps, IT-enabled digital systems and online services are also being introduced to improve healthcare access and transparency.
