New Delhi: In a significant push towards expanding social security coverage, the Delhi government has decided to expedite the constitution of Welfare Boards and the rollout of new welfare schemes for unorganised, gig, platform and construction workers, Labour Minister Kapil Mishra said on Friday.
Chairing a high-level review meeting, Mishra directed officials to speed up the process of bringing these workers under the ambit of social security while ensuring that Delhi’s labour rules are aligned with those framed by the Central government. The meeting reviewed the preparedness for the publication and notification of rules under the Code on Social
Security, 2020, as well as other labour codes.
“The process of providing social security to unorganised workers, gig and platform workers, and construction workers must be expedited,” Mishra said, stressing that benefits should reach workers “swiftly and transparently.”
Officials informed the minister that the Code on Social Security, 2020, provides for the constitution of Welfare Boards for unorganised and construction workers and the formulation of welfare schemes for them. Senior officers, including the Labour Commissioner, attended the meeting.
Highlighting the broader labour reforms, Mishra said that the Centre has consolidated 29 existing labour laws into four labour codes, the Code on Wages, the Code on Industrial Relations, the Code on Social Security, and the Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions. “The objective of these Labour Codes is to protect workers’ rights, promote Ease of Doing Business, and expand social security coverage,” he said.
He pointed out that unorganised workers, gig and platform workers have been formally included under the Code on Social Security, 2020, while construction workers earlier covered under the BOCW Act, 1996, are now also brought under its ambit. Mishra directed officials to study the pre-published Central rules in detail and said, “Delhi’s Labour Code rules should be aligned with the Central rules to ensure maximum benefits for workers and avoid inconvenience.”
Emphasising urgency, he added, “All rules under the four Labour Codes must be finalised at the earliest. The welfare of workers is the highest priority of the Delhi government, and no delay will be tolerated.”