For the first time in eight years, the Narendra Modi Government has convened a state labour ministers’ conference to discuss labour welfare issues and framing of rules under the recently enacted Labour Codes for their implementation.

The two-day conference on 25-26 August at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh will be addressed virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It will be attended by state labour secretaries also.

The four Labour Codes, which replace the existing mass of labour laws are the Code on Wages, the Industrial Relations Code, the Code on Social Security and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code.

Formulation of rules for implementation of the four codes is at different stages. Thirty-one state governments have framed rules on the Code on Wages.

The Code on Occupational Safety is voluminous and the States are therefore taking time in making Rules for it.

The framing of Rules under the four Labour Codes and modalities for their implementation is to be taken up along with development of Portals for licensing, registration, returns, and inspections.

As Labour falls under the Concurrent List of subjects, on which both States and Central Government can make laws, the Centre wants all States to expedite making Rules for the four Codes.

Issues relating to labour were historically discussed at the yearly Indian Labour Conference (ILC) where State Labour Ministers and representatives of employers and trade unions were also called to attend. The last ILC was convened by the Centre in 2015.

Labour and Employment Minister Bhupender Yadav who took the initiative for the Tirupati State Labour Ministers’ meet, said the agenda for the conference focused on improving implementation of the workers’ welfare schemes and to discuss “Vision 2027” on workers’ welfare.

The Centre is keen on integrating its “e-Shram” portal for on-boarding of social security schemes run by the Central and State Governments so that social protection can be universalized and employment opportunities are accessible to all. As of now 28 crore unorganized workers are registered on the portal.

Another subject of discussion at the conference will be “Swasthya se Samriddhi” to improve medical care and services through ESI hospitals run by State  Governments and their integration with Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), the Government’s flagship scheme to provide cashless medical care to 10 crore poor population.

The ESI scheme is expected to have a 20 per cent increase in its beneficiaries after the enforcement of the new Code on Social Security. For this, the ESI system is being toned up to meet its coming challenge, the Labour Minister said.

At present, the ESI has 3.80 crore employee-members (Insured persons), and together with their families, the total number of beneficiaries is about 13 crore.