India Ministry of Labour

William Dalrymple's Keynote on India's Civilizational Openness at EPFO RGDE Season 2

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) inaugurated Season 2 of the Reimagining Governance Discourse for Excellence (RGDE) programme on Civil Services Day, featuring historian and author William Dalrymple as keynote speaker. Dalrymple argued that India's historic strength lay not in conquest but in its openness to the movement of ideas, trade and culture, enabling it to shape civilizations across continents. The session saw active participation from officers across more than 150 field offices and various constituents of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, who engaged in discussions connecting historical patterns to contemporary governance challenges.

Additional FAQs on Labour Codes 16 March 2026

The Ministry of Labour, Government of India issued 21 additional FAQs on 16 March 2026 clarifying provisions of India's Labour Codes (Code on Wages 2019, Code on Social Security 2020, and OSH & WC Code 2020) effective 21 November 2025. Key clarifications include that statutory components such as employer PF and pension contributions and statutory bonus are included for arriving at the 50 percent wage calculation, but gratuity, ESI, and other retirement benefits are excluded. Overtime allowance forms part of the calculation while annual performance-based incentives do not. Fixed-term employees are eligible for gratuity upon completing one year of service from contract start date. Contract labour gratuity is payable by either the principal employer or contractor. ESI coverage applies with a Rs 21,000 per month wage threshold. Leave encashment provisions apply to workers and supervisors earning up to Rs 18,000 per month. Workers can carry forward up to 30 days of leave to the succeeding year.

FAQ on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020

The Ministry of Labour published a comprehensive FAQ on the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH&WC) Code, 2020, addressing 8 clarification queries as of March 13, 2026. The FAQ covers state government authority for dock workers (Section 18), annual health examinations including provisions for workers above 40 years of age, contract worker welfare facilities under Section 56, mandatory experience certificates, inspector-cum-facilitators replacing traditional inspectors, and penalty rationalization distinguishing compoundable minor offences from serious safety violations under Section 86(1).