Mizoram Calls for Flexible Labour Policies at National Labour Conference in New Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 25: The ‘National Conference of Labour & Employment and Industry Ministers and Secretaries of State/UT Governments’ began today at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Representing Mizoram, Pu Lalnghinglova Hmar, Minister of State for Labour, Employment, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (LESDE), attended the conference.

Organised by the Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoLE), the conference brought together Labour & Employment and Industries Ministers and Secretaries from across India. The event was chaired by Union Labour & Employment Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, with Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje also present.

During his address, Mizoram LESDE Minister Pu Lalnghinglova Hmar expressed appreciation to the organising Ministry and participating Ministers, noting that bringing together State/UT representatives to discuss labour governance and coordination was “highly significant.”
He emphasized that strengthening workforce welfare requires continuous reforms aligned with the Ministry’s initiatives. “To improve the quality of employment, we must enhance our efforts in skill development,” he said.

Highlighting the diverse challenges faced by states in labour administration, he said: “Some states face big issues while others face smaller ones. Our needs differ, so uniform implementation often becomes difficult. Flexibility in policies is essential.

Pu Hmar also noted that many young people from Mizoram are already working in Japan and other countries, reflecting the growing success of Mizoram’s skill and employment initiatives. He also stressed that learning languages often required travel to Delhi, which was costly, urging that language training centres should be expanded within Mizoram for the benefit of youth.

The Minister further highlighted the need to strengthen Private Placement Agencies operating in Mizoram and appreciated the Centre’s efforts to frame policies ensuring safe and transparent interstate employment. He welcomed Labour Ministry initiatives that ensure safer work opportunities not only across India but also in other countries.

The National Labour Conference aims to strengthen coordination between the Centre and States/UTs and to improve implementation of labour reforms. Various sessions are being held, including presentations, discussions, and consultations on policy frameworks.

On Day 1, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) held a detailed presentation on the upcoming ‘Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY)’, a scheme designed to boost new employment generation over the next two years.
Under this scheme:

• New employees (previously unemployed) will receive an incentive of ₹15,000,
• Employers hiring fresh workers will also receive incentives,
• A total budget of ₹99,446 crore has been allocated,
• The scheme will run from August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2027.

Issues related to workers engaged in construction were also discussed, including welfare provisions under the Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) framework. The Union Minister announced improvements to the ‘Digital Labour Chowk’ portal and introduced a new online software for payment of Labour Cess.

Draft proposals of ‘Shakti Niti 2025 – National Labour & Employment Policy’ and the ‘Private Placement Agencies (Regulation) Act 2025’ were also reviewed.

From Mizoram, the delegation included Pu Vivek Kumar Tripathi (Addl. Secretary, LESDE), Pu John Tanpuia (Director, LESDE) and Pu H. Lalramenga (PS to Minister), who accompanied Minister Pu Hmar.
The conference will continue tomorrow.