Workforce Reforms
The policy envisions a labour ecosystem that ensures protection and productivity for every worker. This initiative is represented by the draft National Labour and Employment Policy, also known as Shram Shakti Niti 2025, which has been released for public consultation.
Key Components of the Draft Policy
- Universal and Portable Social Security:
- The policy proposes the creation of a universal account by integrating various social security schemes like the Employees Provident Fund Organisation, Employees State Insurance Corporation, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, e-SHRAM, and State welfare boards.
- Occupational Safety and Health Code:
- Implementation with risk-based inspections and gender-sensitive standards.
- Skills and Employment:
- Convergence of various skills schemes and initiatives to increase female workforce participation to 35% by 2030.
- Promotion of entrepreneurship and career guidance for youth.
Policy Vision and Objectives
The policy aims to create a balanced framework that upholds workers' welfare while enabling enterprises to grow, aligned with the national aspiration of a developed India by 2047. It is rooted in India’s civilisational ethos of śrama dharma - the dignity and moral value of work.
Expected Outcomes
- Universal worker registration and social security portability.
- Near-zero workplace fatalities and increased female labour-force participation.
- Reduction in informal jobs through digital compliance and AI-driven labour governance.
- Creation of millions of green and decent jobs.
Policy Implementation Phases
- Phase I (2025–27): Focus on institutional setup and social-security integration.
- Phase II (2027–30): Nationwide rollout of universal social security accounts, skill-credit systems, and district-level Employment Facilitation Cells.
- Phase III (beyond 2030): Introduction of paperless governance, predictive analytics, and continuous policy renewal.
Monitoring and Evaluation
- Progress will be tracked through real-time dashboards and a Labour & Employment Policy Evaluation Index (LPEI) benchmarking States.
- An Annual National Labour Report to Parliament and independent third-party reviews will ensure transparency and accountability.
The last date to submit suggestions on the draft is October 27.
