New Labour Codes bring long-pending reforms for workers, industries: Kapil Mishra

New Delhi: Delhi Labour Minister Kapil Mishra on Saturday said the rollout of the four new Labour Codes aim to empower workers and modernise India's labour framework.

He said the move replaces several outdated laws and brings in a simplified system that supports both workers and industry.

Mishra said the Codes -- the Code on Wages, Industrial Relations Code, Social Security Code and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, bring the changes that have been discussed for decades but never implemented.

Taking reference from the Code on Wages, he said the new definition of wages will apply uniformly across the country, ensuring clarity and ending long-standing confusion in payment structures.

The minister said the Code on Wages ensures minimum wages for all workers, mandates double wages for overtime and makes gender-based discrimination illegal.

"Even transgender workers have been given legal protection. This brings fairness and uniformity in the system," Mishra said.

Speaking about the Industrial Relations Code, Mishra said the reforms strengthen grievance-redressal mechanisms and make provisions like fixed-term employment and work-from-home part of the legal framework.

"Digital processes will reduce disputes and speed up justice. This supports both ease of living and ease of doing business," he said.

He also said that the Social Security Code marks one of the most significant changes by bringing gig and platform workers, including delivery partners and cab drivers, under formal social-security coverage.

"This shows that the government wants every worker, even those in new-age sectors, to have protection," he said.

According to the minister, states that adopted labour reforms early have already seen positive results.

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code will ensure better safety standards across establishments, he added.

He said the Code mandates appointment letters, health check-ups and safeguards for women working at night, and extends protection even to a single worker engaged in hazardous activity.

He also said the reform reflects the difference between the current government's approach and what he described as years of delay under previous regimes.

"For decades, labour reform remained only on paper. The Modi government has implemented it on the ground while keeping workers at the centre," Mishra said.

The minister added that the new Codes are not only administrative changes but a step towards making work environments more transparent and growth-oriented.