Mandaviya calls for providing benefit of welfare schemes to all workers

New Delhi, Nov 11 (PTI) Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday called for sustained collaboration among stakeholders to take benefits of welfare schemes to every worker across the country.

Addressing the National Conference of Labour & Employment and Industry Ministers and Secretaries of states/UTs, the minister emphasised that guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas, the government has placed the citizen at the heart of every policy.

He highlighted the importance of the newly launched Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY), with an outlay of nearly Rs 1 lakh crore to create 3.5 crore jobs, urging states to align their employment programmes with this national mission for maximum synergy and impact.

Mandaviya, in his opening remarks, set the tone for the conference by focusing on implementation and action.

He said the conference is a follow-up to the January 2025 meet, with the current goal being to turn decisions into visible outcomes on the ground.

He detailed the structure of the PMVBRY to facilitate formalisation and enhance social security, and called for active state collaboration to ensure its success.

The minister stressed the importance of sustained collaboration among all stakeholders to ensure that the benefits of welfare schemes reach every worker across the country.

Union Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Shobha Karandlaje outlined the transformative journey of India's development, driven by a governance model rooted in equity and transparency.

She highlighted the nation's achievement in lifting 171 million citizens out of multidimensional poverty and expanding social security coverage to 94 crore people.

Further, she urged all states to actively lead outreach, align their programmes, and leverage digital platforms like e-Shram and National Career Services (NCS) to ensure that no worker is left behind in the nation's march towards a Viksit Bharat.

In her opening remarks, Union Labour Secretary Vandana Gurnani, emphasised that the National Conference on Labour & Employment functions as a vital dialogue for building national partnerships and translating discussion into concrete action.

Highlighting the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY), Secretary (L&E), urged states to share innovative ideas on operationalising the scheme and discussions on the draft National Labour & Employment Policy and the Private Placement Agency Bill, underlining that strong implementation is key to realising the promise of a Viksit Bharat.

The conference also featured presentations on critical agendas.

A presentation on the PMVBRY outlined its vision and structure, noting that the "Scheme is based on enrolment in EPFO to incentivise additional employment in formal sector and sustain it." Furthermore, draft 'Shram Shakti Niti' (National Labour & Employment Policy) was discussed as a comprehensive vision document to build an inclusive, fair, and resilient ecosystem for workers, accelerating India's journey towards a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

The conference showcased a transformative vision for the welfare of India's construction workers through three key digital and physical initiatives.

The Digital Labour Chowk mobile app and the Online BoCW Cess Collection Portal were launched by Union Minister for Labour & Employment Mansukh Mandaviya during the conference on Tuesday.

The two-day conference, a significant step in the spirit of cooperative federalism, aims to accelerate the implementation of key labour policies and initiatives, decent employment generation, and social security initiatives, as per a statement. PTI KKS KKS TRB TRB