Draft National Labour and Employment Policy Released

On 8th October 2025, the Ministry of Labour and Employment released the draft National Labour and Employment Policy, titled Shram Shakti Niti 2025, for public consultation.

The policy aims to establish a fair, inclusive, and future-ready world of work aligned with India’s vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

Key Points

Universal Social Security: Proposes the creation of a universal account integrating the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), e-SHRAM, and State welfare boards.
Social Security Portability: Envisions universal worker registration and portable social security benefits to ensure protection for all workers across sectors and regions.
Occupational Safety and Health: Seeks implementation of the Occupational Safety and Health Code with risk-based inspections and gender-sensitive standards to promote safer workplaces.
Women and Youth Empowerment: Targets to increase women’s labour-force participation to 35% by 2030, while promoting entrepreneurship and career guidance initiatives for youth.
Digital Compliance Framework: Introduces a single-window system for digital compliance, self-certification, and simplified returns for MSMEs to reduce regulatory burdens.
Green and AI-driven Jobs: Aims to generate millions of green and decent jobs, promote AI-enabled safety systems, and create just-transition pathways for workers affected by economic or technological change.
Unified Labour Data System: Establishes a national labour data architecture ensuring inter-ministerial coordination, transparency, and real-time monitoring.