New Labour Codes to Bring Major Welfare Gains for Workers, Says MP Raju Bista

PIB Kolkata’s Vartalap workshop in Siliguri focuses on labour reforms, financial inclusion, GST 2.0 and strengthening government–media engagement

KalimNews, Kolkata, 29 November 2025 : The four newly implemented Labour Codes will significantly enhance welfare, security and dignity for workers across India, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Raju Bista said on Saturday. Addressing a day-long Vartalap media workshop organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Kolkata in Siliguri, the Darjeeling Lok Sabha MP described the reforms as a “historic decision” that consolidates and modernises India’s labour law framework to better protect both organised and unorganised workers.

Bista noted that the Union Government’s move to merge 29 existing labour legislations into four comprehensive codes — the Code on Wages, 2019; the Industrial Relations Code, 2020; the Code on Social Security, 2020; and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 — marks a transformative step towards simplifying compliance and ensuring equitable treatment for workers nationwide. He emphasised that the new framework ensures easier access to welfare benefits, safer working environments and stronger social security, reinforcing India’s commitment to building a fair and future-ready labour ecosystem.

Highlighting specific provisions, Bista said the codes make appointment letters mandatory, extend gratuity entitlements, guarantee free annual health check-ups for all workers, and broaden access to the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) scheme. These benefits, he stressed, will provide substantial relief for tea garden workers, employees in MSMEs, and labourers in the informal sector across the Darjeeling Hills, the Dooars and the rest of the country. He pointed out that tea plantations had long been governed by the Plantation Labour Act, 1951 — a “British-era law where wage structures were largely influenced by union negotiations and estate management”. The new laws, he said, replace outdated mechanisms, provide equal pay for equal work and bring tea garden workers into a modernised and standardised labour protection system.

Commending PIB Kolkata’s continued engagement with the media, Bista described transparent communication as a cornerstone of democracy and stressed that informed citizens constitute the backbone of a progressive nation. He praised PIB’s efforts in nurturing platforms such as Vartalap, which foster dialogue, information-sharing and improved public awareness of government initiatives.

The programme commenced with a symbolic tree-plantation drive under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign, led by Bista and T. V. K. Reddy, Director General, PIB/CBC Eastern Region. The gesture underscored the government’s ongoing focus on environmental responsibility and community participation in sustainability efforts.

Welcoming participants, Miss Jane Namchu, Additional Director General, PIB/CBC Kolkata, highlighted the essential role of media professionals in ensuring that authentic information reaches citizens. She encouraged journalists to regularly use the PIB website as a verified source of government updates and emphasised that credible communication is vital to ensuring developmental benefits reach grassroots communities. Earlier, the Assistant Director of PIB Kolkata briefed attendees on the organisation’s activities and reiterated the importance of such workshops in bridging the gap between PIB and journalists in rural and district areas, enabling them to access accurate information on national development initiatives.

The technical sessions that followed brought together experts from key government sectors. In a detailed presentation on financial inclusion, Rajesh Kumar, Lead Bank Manager at the Central Bank of India, outlined the progress and impact of flagship schemes including the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, digital banking outreach efforts and credit-access programmes designed to integrate unbanked populations into the formal financial system. In another session, Dr Jeetesh Nagori, Commissioner of CGST Siliguri, explained the salient features of GST 2.0 — a newly streamlined and reformed version of the Goods and Services Tax. He discussed how GST 2.0 aims to simplify processes, reduce compliance burdens, enhance transparency and improve purchasing power through system improvements.

The workshop concluded with an interactive session during which media representatives raised queries and shared ground-level observations with the experts. The discussions added value to the programme by promoting clarity, dialogue and mutual understanding between government officials and journalists. The event reaffirmed PIB’s commitment to strengthening constructive engagement with the media and promoting timely, accurate and citizen-centric dissemination of information across the region.

The programme ended with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Md Sikander Ansari, Media & Communication Officer, PIB Kolkata, acknowledging the participation of dignitaries, speakers and media professionals who contributed to the success of the initiative. (With inputs from PIB and PTI)