Labour ministry launches Digital Labour Chowk, links it with VBRY

The new multilingual app aims to connect workers and employers safely and transparently, while states are urged to align job programmes with the Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

The Union labour ministry on Tuesday launched the Digital Labour Chowk mobile application, a multilingual platform that will connect workers with employers digitally for transparent and efficient job matching, reducing dependence on middlemen and unsafe waiting on the streets.

 

The mobile application was launched by Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya at the two-day labour minister’s conference, which kicked off on November 11 in the national capital.

 

“The model of Labour Chowk Facilitation Centres (LCFCs) was presented, which will convert unsafe roadside gathering points into structured hubs offering shelter, drinking water, sanitation, and direct access to welfare services like registration and health camps,” the statement by the labour ministry said. 

The Online BOCW Cess Collection Portal was also introduced as a unified digital system for automatic cess calculation, online payment, and real-time monitoring, ensuring plan approvals are linked to cess verification and accelerating the flow of funds to State Welfare Boards for worker benefits.

 

Besides, Mandaviya urged states to align their employment programmes with the Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana (VBRY)

 

“A presentation on the PMVBRY outlined its vision and structure, noting that the scheme is based on enrollment in EPFO to incentivise additional employment in formal sector and sustain it. Furthermore, draft ‘Shram Shakti Niti’ was discussed as a comprehensive vision document to build an inclusive, fair, and resilient ecosystem for workers, accelerating India's journey towards a Viksit Bharat by 2047,” said the labour ministry in a statement.

 

The conference is a follow-up to the January 2025 meet, with the current goal being to turn decisions into visible outcomes on the ground. The minister detailed the structure of the PMVBRY to facilitate formalisation and enhance social security, and called for active state collaboration to ensure its success.