The government is working on a new employment policy: Mandaviya

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya speaks during a panel discussion at the CII Annual Business Summit, in New Delhi | Photo Credit: ANI

The government is working on a new employment policy, and a draft will be released for stakeholder feedback, Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Annual Business Summit 2026.

“I’m getting ready an employment policy. The draft will come out. You all should read and share your inputs which is important to provide a good employment policy for the country,” Mandaviya said while speaking on the labour reforms at the Summit.

In the address that stretched over nearly an hour, the Minister came up with many suggestions including urging the industry to join hands with the government to work out a roadmap for the working class and to wriggle out of the present crisis emanating out of the West Asia conflict.

“Registration from the industry is less,” the Minister remarked while speaking on the employment linked incentive under which the government provides financial incentives to both first-time employees and their employers for new hires made between August 1, 2025, and July 31, 2027.

He, appreciated role played by the CII in fostering jobs through model career centres.

But, at the same time, the Minister said the government alone should not be responsible for organising employment fairs to connect job seekers with employers across the country, and suggested industries and associations such as the CII to play a more active role in employment generation initiatives.

Mandaviya said this model of job creation has to be promoted, stressing that the government can only the play role of a catalyst and partner. He suggested that the CII’s career centres expand their focus to international mobility, noting that the industry bodies are better placed to understand the increased demand for skilled, semi-skilled and high-skilled workers across different countries. The Minister said he articulated this out of his own experience of interacting with the CII on this issue.

He raised concerns over the growing challenges faced by contractual workers and said directions have been issued to industries for ensuring timely payment of wages in compliance with labour laws.

Delays in salary payments by contractual agencies, as per the Minister, were creating distress among workers and increasing labour-related tensions.

Mandaviya warned that agencies violating labour norms would face strict action.

Published on May 12, 2026