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The Union Labour Ministry and the Uttar Pradesh Labour Department jointly held Shram Samvad, a two-day state-level programme on labour codes, worker welfare and social security, at Lucknow on 26 and 27 October 2026.
Related: Vigilance Awareness Week and the Central Vigilance Commission
Why is this in the news?
- The programme ran on 26 and 27 October 2026 at the Taj Hotel in Lucknow, organised jointly by the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Uttar Pradesh Labour Department.
- Its aim was to raise awareness of the new labour codes and the rules made under them among employers, human resource, legal and finance professionals.
- Over the two days, more than 100 questions were discussed in open sessions, and Uttar Pradesh said it intends to hold similar sessions in other industrial districts of the state.
Key facts at a glance
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| What | Two-day state-level capacity building and awareness programme |
| Who | Ministry of Labour and Employment with the UP Labour Department |
| When | 26 and 27 October 2026 |
| Where | Taj Hotel, Lucknow |
| Codes covered | Code on Wages 2019; Industrial Relations Code 2020; Code on Social Security 2020; OSH and Working Conditions Code 2020 |
| Schemes covered | PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana; PM Shram Yogi Maandhan |
| Digital portals | e-Shram, Shram Suvidha, Samadhan and Labour Stack |
What did the two days cover?
On the first day, sessions covered labour reforms, social security and the state labour machinery. Secretary of the Labour Ministry delivered the keynote and highlighted the transformative potential of the codes, welfare of construction workers, technology-enabled service delivery and better Centre-State cooperation.
On the second day, employers, industry representatives and legal, human resource and financial professionals attended compliance sessions under each of the four codes. A compliance handbook for employers and a compilation of frequently asked questions were shared. The programme closed by stressing coordinated action, simpler compliance and technology-driven delivery.
How does it link to the static syllabus?
- Labour is on the Concurrent List, so the Centre and states both make and apply labour law, which is why Centre-State coordination was a theme.
- The four codes are Wages, Industrial Relations, Social Security and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions.
- Sessions also covered child labour prevention and rehabilitation and the identification and release of bonded labour, linking to constitutional protections for workers.
What is the Uttar Pradesh angle?
The state Labour and Employment Department of Uttar Pradesh co-hosted the event, and Labour and Employment Minister Anil Rajbhar addressed it, with Minister of State Manohar Lal Manno Kori also speaking. Sessions covered how the codes are implemented in Uttar Pradesh, the spread of social security schemes to unorganised, gig and platform workers, and state best practices. This is relevant to GS-V on state governance and welfare.
Which pairs are easily confused?
- Labour codes are not the older Acts: the four codes consolidate and replace many earlier laws.
- Shram Samvad is not a scheme: it is an awareness and capacity-building programme.
- EPFO is not ESIC: EPFO handles provident fund, ESIC handles health and other insurance benefits.
Key Terms
- Labour codes
- Four consolidated laws that replace many older labour Acts.
- Social security
- Protection such as insurance, pension and provident fund for workers.
- BOCW
- Building and Other Construction Workers, a welfare category with a cess and registration.
- EPFO
- Employees' Provident Fund Organisation, the provident fund body.
- ESIC
- Employees' State Insurance Corporation, the health insurance body for workers.
- Labour Stack
- Digital platform mentioned among the labour portals.
UPPSC syllabus: GS-II, GS-V
FAQs
What is Shram Samvad?
A two-day state-level programme on labour codes, worker welfare and social security, held in Lucknow.
Which four codes were discussed?
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.
Sources: PIB Press Release: Shram Samvad concludes in Lucknow
Last verified: 2026-10-28
