Delhi/Hyderabad, July 14 (HS): Union Minister for Labour and Employment Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday inaugurated the 15th BRICS Trade Union Forum (TUF) Summit 2026 in Hyderabad and called for building a worker-centric global order guided by social justice, responsible innovation and human dignity.

Addressing delegates from BRICS countries, the Minister said India's BRICS Presidency theme, Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability, reflects the country's commitment to ensuring that the future of work remains inclusive, equitable and centred on workers' welfare.

Welcoming delegates, Dr Mandaviya said trade unions have played a vital role in safeguarding workers' rights, promoting industrial harmony and ensuring that economic growth is accompanied by social justice. He said India remains committed to the vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where economic development and workers' welfare go hand in hand.

Highlighting labour reforms, the Minister said the four Labour Codes have consolidated 29 labour laws into a simplified framework while strengthening workers' rights. He said the reforms provide for universal minimum wages, appointment letters, improved occupational safety and health, digital compliance and formal recognition of gig and platform workers.

Dr Mandaviya said India has leveraged digital public infrastructure to transform labour governance. He noted that the e-Shram portal has registered more than 317 million unorganised workers, while the National Career Service portal connects job seekers, employers, career centres and training providers across the country.

Referring to India's social security framework, he said the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), with over 80 million active subscribers and eight million pensioners, is among the world's largest social security institutions. He added that the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) provides healthcare and social security benefits to over 150 million insured persons and their dependants.

The Minister said India's social protection coverage has increased from 19 per cent in 2015 to 64.3 per cent in 2025, covering nearly 940 million people, while preliminary estimates for 2026 indicate that coverage has crossed one billion citizens.

On employment generation, Dr Mandaviya said nearly 170 million employment opportunities have been created over the past decade. He added that the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana aims to create 35 million formal-sector jobs over the next two years through employment-linked incentives.

Stating that the BRICS countries together represent nearly half of the world's population and one of its largest labour forces, the Minister called for greater cooperation in social security, labour mobility, skill development, artificial intelligence governance and decent work. He expressed confidence that the forum's recommendations would contribute to the forthcoming BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar