Labour law reforms face hurdles in implementation

The Centre has missed several deadlines to implement the four labour codes passed by Parliament in 2019-20 as it has taken longer than planned to bring state governments on board.

- Zia Haq

NEW DELHI:

Under the Constitution, labour figures on the concurrent list, which means states also have a say in matters related to labour-market regulations.

The codes, or legislation, amalgamated and simplified 29 complex labour regulations, some dating back to the country's colonial period.

The new laws are aimed at attracting investment, making it easier for firms to hire and fire workers and providing social-security benefits to workers.

The four pieces of legislation are the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020; the Code on Social Security, 2020; the Industrial Relations Code, 2020; and the Code on Wages, 2019.