The government has recently overhauled its labour and rural‑employment architecture by rolling out the Labour Codes and enacting the Viksit Bharat‑Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025. The new law replaces the long‑standing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), raising concerns about the welfare of informal workers and the broader rural populace.
Key Developments
- Consolidation of over 40 labour statutes into four Labour Codes aimed at easing regulatory burden on enterprises.
- Passage of the Viksit Bharat‑Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, which repeals MGNREGA and introduces a new employment guarantee mechanism.
- Official narrative asserts that inequality is now a lesser concern compared with the early 2010s, despite persistent data‑quality issues.
- Recognition that data comparability challenges hinder a clear assessment of the impact of these reforms.
Important Facts
• The Labour Codes were operationalised in 2024, covering wages, social security, occupational safety and industrial relations. • The Viksit Bharat‑Guarantee Bill, introduced in 2025, promises a flexible, demand‑driven employment model, but reduces the guaranteed days of work from 100 to 75 per year. • Critics argue that the shift may dilute the social safety net for informal workers, who constitute roughly 90% of India’s workforce.
Exam Relevance
Understanding these polic