Says “Reforms to simplify processes, reduce penal provisions, strengthen worker rights”
Jammu: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting to review the implementation status of the four new Labour Codes, one of India’s most significant labour reforms aimed at simplifying compliance systems and improving worker welfare across Jammu & Kashmir. The meeting was attended by the Secretary Labour & Employment, Secretary IT, Secretary Law, Labour Commissioner, Director Industries & Commerce Jammu and other senior officers.
Addressing the meeting Chief Secretary highlighted the consolidation of multiple labour legislations into four streamlined codes as a significant advancement in improving the ease of doing business while enhancing workforce rights and protections. He emphasized the necessity of strengthening institutional and legal frameworks for the effective implementation of these codes in the Union Territory (UT). The Labour & Employment Department was directed to initiate a sustained Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaign and comprehensive capacity-building programs for employers, workers, and implementing agencies to ensure stakeholder engagement. Integration with the National Labour Portal was underscored to facilitate uniform and transparent implementation of the reforms. The Chief Secretary also called for expedited amendments to rules and the issuance of essential notifications to simplify compliance under the new regulatory framework. Secretary of Labour & Employment, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, explained that 44 Central labour laws have been integrated into four comprehensive codes, creating a modern regulatory framework. The Code on Wages, 2019, addresses minimum wages, wage payment, bonuses, and equal remuneration, ensuring a statutory minimum wage and introducing a national floor wage. It also aims to eliminate gender-based discrimination and protect transgender workers while shifting minor offences from criminal to monetary penalties. The Industrial Relations Code, 2020, consolidates laws related to trade unions, standing orders, and industrial disputes, establishing a unified framework for industrial relations. It introduces fixed-term employment with equivalent benefits to permanent staff, raises the threshold for Standing Orders applicability, and mandates a 14-day notice period for strikes and lockouts. The Social Security Code, 2020, consolidates nine major social security laws, extending coverage to gig and platform workers, and establishing a dedicated Social Security Fund for unorganised workers. It also revises the definition of dependents for female employees to include grandparents and in-laws. The Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions (OSH&WC) Code, 2020, merges 13 laws on workplace safety, enabling electronic registration for establishments with ten or more workers and ensuring uniform safety standards. It also enhances protections for contract labour and interstate migrant workers. Labour Commissioner Charandeep Singh reported that the rationalization of labour laws has significantly reduced compliance requirements, with a decrease in the number of sections, rules, registrations, licenses, forms, and returns. The reforms have simplified compliance through a single license, registration, and consolidated return, prioritizing corrective measures over punitive actions. These changes are expected to lead to a more efficient and less burdensome regulatory environment for all stakeholders involved.
