'Shram Samvad' Campaign Launched for Labour Codes to Cover Industrial Clusters Across 316 Districts
Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya announced the 'Shram Samvad' awareness campaign during the conference on Industrial Relations, Labour, and Rewards 2026.
Union Minister for Labour and Employment and Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, inaugurated a national conference in New Delhi themed 'Reimagining Industrial Relations and Workplace Participation in the Age of AI.' The conference was organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Employers' Federation of India (EFI).
On this occasion, Dr. Mandaviya announced that the Ministry of Labour and Employment is launching a comprehensive awareness campaign titled 'Shram Samvad' regarding the labour codes. Under this initiative, industrial colonies across 316 districts in all 36 states and union territories will be covered over the next 90 days. Emphasizing the importance of continuous dialogue among stakeholders to strengthen industrial relations, he stated, "Where there is dialogue, there is a solution."
The Union Minister discussed the evolving economic landscape and the significance of technological advancements, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, and robotics. Referencing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech for 2026, he noted that ten million youth will be trained in AI skills over the coming year.
Highlighting the expansion of social security, Dr. Mandaviya explained that India's social security coverage has increased from 19% of the population in 2015 to 1.01 billion people, representing 68% of the population, a milestone recognized by the International Labour Organization (ILO). He urged both industry and workers to work together as partners in nation-building.
Referring to economic data, he stated that India's GDP growth rate stands at 7.8%. He shared that between 2017 and 2023, every 1% growth in the economy led to a 1.11% increase in employment, compared to a previous increase of only 0.008%. He stressed the need for collective efforts to realize the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
During the inaugural session, a report titled "Employer's Guide under the New Labour Code Framework: Fixed Term Employment in India" was also released. The event was attended by Puneet Kaura, Chairman of CII Northern Region; Harshwardhan Chitale, Co-Chairman of the CII National Committee on Industrial Relations and Labour; Octavianto Passaribu, Senior Advisor at the ILO; and officials from the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
