Labour Secretary urges all Indian states and UTs to finalize code rules by Oct 31

Speaking at a seminar organized by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Grant Thornton Bharat, Labour Secretary Chandra Bhushan Kumar said the government wants every state and Union Territory to have their labour-code rules in place by 31 October. Ten states have already published final rules; the remaining jurisdictions have only released draft rules for consultation. The four labour codes, which came into force in November 2025 and consolidate wages, industrial relations, social security and occupational safety, were centrally notified in May 2026, but their practical effect requires state-level regulations.

Kumar highlighted a recent report showing the new framework cuts compliance burdens dramatically, yet noted unresolved issues such as wage-payment timelines, workforce classification and gig-worker registration. He also outlined a forthcoming “Labour Stack” platform to integrate worker and welfare databases, with a pilot expected within two weeks. Additionally, the government plans to open 40 new modern career lounges this fiscal year, adding to the existing network of 407 centres.