Labour Ministry drafts policy to recast itself as job facilitator

The Ministry of Labour & Employment on Tuesday released Shram Shakti Niti 2025, a draft national policy that seeks to recast its role not as a regulator but as an “employment facilitator”, signalling a paradigm shift in labour governance.

 

The document envisages a technology-driven, worker-centric framework — anchored in universal social security, artificial intelligence (AI)-based job matching, and digital compliance — aimed at transforming India’s fragmented labour ecosystem into an integrated, transparent, and future-ready workforce.

 

The labour ministry has put the draft policy out for public consultation, after which it will be finalised and sent to the Union Cabinet for approval.

 

The draft policy envisions a labour ecosystem by 2047 that ensures universal worker registration and social security portability, the creation of millions of green and decent jobs, near-zero workplace fatalities, higher female labour force participation, a sharp reduction in informality through digital compliance, AI-driven labour governance capacity in all states, and a fully converged One Nation integrated workforce ecosystem.

 

“By integrating key national databases such as Employees' Provident Fund Organisation, Employees' State Insurance Corporation, eShram, and National Career Service (NCS) into a unified Labour Stack, the policy envisions an inclusive and interoperable digital ecosystem that supports lifelong learning, social protection, and income security,” the labour ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

 

According to the draft, the policy will be implemented in three phases, with a monitoring mechanism to track progress on goals and timelines set under each phase. Phase-I (2025–27) will focus on institutional setup and social security integration. Phase-II (2027–30) will roll out the Universal Social Security Account, skill-credit systems, and district-level employment facilitation cells nationwide.

 

Phase-III (beyond 2030) will consolidate all related initiatives.

 

A three-tier implementation structure will be established to ensure smooth execution: an inter-ministerial body at the Centre called the National Labour and Employment Policy Implementation Council chaired by the labour minister; state labour missions for contextual implementation and coordination; and district labour resource centres, which will act as single-window hubs for worker registration, job matching, skilling, startup incubation, and grievance redress.

 

The draft policy also proposes implementing national safety and health standards in workplaces through modern inspection tools, risk-based audits, and digital reporting systems to strengthen compliance.

 

“By fostering a culture of prevention and accountability, the policy aims to reduce workplace accidents, enhance morale, and raise productivity,” the draft policy reads.

 

It also envisions the NCS portal as India’s digital public infrastructure for employment, enabling seamless job matching, credential verification, and skill alignment across sectors.

 

“Through open application programming interface, multilingual access, and verified digital credentials, it will link opportunity with talent across Tier-II and Tier-III cities, rural districts, and micro, small and medium enterprise clusters,” the draft notes.

 

The policy further supports just and inclusive green transitions by reskilling affected workers, promoting innovation in low-carbon industries, and creating new livelihoods in sustainable sectors.