Centre builds digital spine for labour code rollout across states

States asked to integrate portals as government moves towards a common labour administration framework

In a step towards further implementation of the four labour codes, the Ministry of Labour & Employment has asked states to integrate their systems with the Centre’s Shram Suvidha and Samadhan portals, according to people familiar with the matter.

 

The move is aimed at creating a unified digital ecosystem for labour administration across the country, enabling the seamless exchange of information between the Centre and states on compliance, registrations, inspections, grievance redress, and dispute resolution.

 

States that already operate their own labour portals have been asked to integrate their application programming interfaces (APIs) with the central platforms. For states that do not have dedicated digital platforms, the Centre has offered technical support to help build the necessary infrastructure and synchronise it with the proposed framework.

 

“We are in touch with states to help them with their digital architecture. States that already run their portals have been asked to link their APIs with central platforms, while those without existing portals will be offered assistance in setting them up,” clarified a senior official.

 

Labour services available through the Shram Suvidha-National Single Window System vary extensively across states. While Karnataka has integrated around 15 labour-related approvals and registrations with the platform, Gujarat and Kerala currently show only two each, according to data available on the portal’s dashboard. Meanwhile, some states, such as West Bengal and Meghalaya, show no records, the dashboard showed.

 

An email sent to the labour ministry remained unanswered until the time of going to press.

 

The Shram Suvidha portal currently serves as a single-window platform for labour law compliance, while the Samadhan portal is used for monitoring and resolving industrial disputes and worker grievances. Under the proposed framework, both platforms are expected to play a key role in the implementation of the four labour codes.

 

The four labour codes contain several provisions that shift compliance and enforcement processes to digital platforms. These include online registration of establishments, electronic maintenance of records and registers, web-based inspections, electronic filing of returns, and digital grievance redress mechanisms. The codes also provide for the creation of common databases and information-sharing systems between governments, making integration of central and state labour portals a key requirement for implementation.

 

Officials said interoperability between central and state systems is considered critical because labour is a concurrent subject under the Constitution, requiring coordination between the two levels of government. The integration would allow authorities to access relevant information in real time while reducing duplication of records and administrative processes.

 

The initiative is also expected to improve ease of compliance for employers by enabling registrations, filings, and inspections to be managed through interconnected platforms rather than separate systems maintained by different jurisdictions.

 

The labour ministry has held a series of consultations with states on operationalising the labour codes, including discussions on rules, digital infrastructure, and implementation mechanisms. While most states have framed draft rules under the codes, several have yet to notify final rules. 

Joining the dots

 

• States asked to integrate portals as Centre moves towards a common labour administration framework
• Integration planned with Shram Suvidha and Samadhan portals
• Existing state portals to connect via APIs
• To enable real-time sharing of compliance and inspection data
• Multi-state firms expected to benefit from integration