The Ministry of Labour & Employment, working with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Bhiwadi Manufacturers Association, conducted a training and awareness programme on India’s new Labour Codes in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan on 30 September 2026. The event was part of the Shram Samvad Initiative, a national effort to help employers understand their duties under the reformed labour law framework.
The Labour Codes, which replaced dozens of older labour laws, became effective on 21 November 2025. The rules to implement them were issued on 8 May 2026. This programme aimed to help businesses grasp what the new rules mean for them and how to comply.
Key facts
- Programme held at BMA House, Industrial Area, Bhiwadi, on 30 September 2026
- Over 100 participants from employers, HR professionals, legal experts and finance specialists attended
- Labour Codes came into force on 21 November 2025
- Central Rules notified on 8 May 2026
- Keynote address delivered by Shri Ashutosh A.T. Pednekar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment
- Sessions covered Labour Codes overview, employer compliance requirements, and social security schemes
What the Labour Codes change
India’s new Labour Codes consolidate and simplify labour laws that had become scattered across many acts. The codes cover wages, occupational safety, health and working conditions, and social security. They apply to employers across sectors and affect how companies hire, pay, and protect workers.
The training programme explained key compliance obligations for employers under the new framework. Shri Om Prakash Singh, Labour Welfare Commissioner (Central), presented the overall vision and reforms in the codes. A joint session by Shri Nitesh Bhasin, Under Secretary, and Shri Om Prakash Singh then walked employers through practical compliance steps they must follow.
Social security schemes highlighted
The programme also introduced two government initiatives that workers can access under the new system.
The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY) aims to encourage businesses to hire more workers. Shri Bhupendra Yadav, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation, explained the scheme’s eligibility and benefits.
The Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) scheme extends pension and social security protection to workers in the unorganised sector, such as street vendors, domestic workers and self-employed persons. Shri Pravin P. Mohandas, Welfare Commissioner (Central), Ajmer, outlined how the scheme works and who qualifies.
How the programme was structured
The event ran four technical sessions interspersed with question-and-answer periods. The general secretary of the Bhiwadi Manufacturers Association delivered an opening address. Ministry officials then presented the legal framework and compliance requirements, followed by two sessions on government employment and social security schemes. Participants could raise field-level challenges and seek clarifications on the new rules.
Shri Surendra Singh Chauhan, a member of FICCI’s Rajasthan council, delivered the closing remarks and urged the government to support continued capacity building in Bhiwadi to strengthen the region as an industrial centre.
What this means for you
If you own or manage a business in India, you must now follow the Labour Codes. This programme was designed to help employers in smaller industrial towns understand their new duties without waiting for guidance to reach them informally.
If you work in an Indian business, the Labour Codes protect your wages, working conditions and safety in a more unified way than the older laws. Your employer’s awareness of these codes may lead to better compliance and more consistent protection across sectors.
If you work informally or are self-employed, the social security schemes highlighted in this programme may offer you pension and health benefits that were harder to access before.
What happens next
The Ministry of Labour & Employment plans to hold more District-Level Capacity Building and Awareness Programmes across India to reach employers nationwide. Shri Ashutosh A.T. Pednekar stated that the ministry intends to scale this initiative to other regions and industrial centres.