Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Addresses Post-Budget Webinar on “Investing in People”

A Post-Budget Webinar on the theme “Investing in People” was organized today via video conferencing, bringing together senior government officials, academia, and industry representatives.

Addressing the post-budget webinar on the theme ‘Investing in People’, Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, emphasized that a nation's greatest asset is its people. He outlined the government’s mission to skill and empower India’s youth, ensuring that Indian talent makes a global impact. Highlighting the roadmap for Viksit Bharat by 2047, he stated that investing in people is not just an economic decision but a social, moral, and cultural commitment toward an educated, healthy, and empowered society.

Dr. Mandaviya presented data underscoring the success of employment initiatives, revealing that 17.1 crore jobs were created between 2014-24, including 4.6 crore in the past year alone. He noted a significant drop in unemployment rates, from 6% in 2017-18 to 3.2% in 2023-24, and a remarkable rise in female employment from 22% to 40.3% in the same period. Union minister credited these achievements to India's progressive policies, which have strengthened the country’s workforce.

Dr. Mandaviya also addressed the impact of social security initiatives, citing the ILO World Social Security Report 2024-26, which highlights India’s social security coverage doubling from 24.4% to 48.8%. The expansion of the e-Shram Portal, covering over 30.67 crore unorganised workers, and the inclusion of gig workers under PMJAY, reinforce the government’s commitment to workforce welfare, he stated. The government has also integrated 12 key welfare schemes under e-Shram and has made the portal available in 22 Indian languages, he mentioned. Additionally, to support workers' families, 10 new ESIC medical colleges have been approved, with plans for 10 more in the pipeline, he added.

Concluding his address, Dr. Mandaviya reaffirmed that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India’s investment in its people is shaping a stronger, self-reliant nation, ensuring long-term benefits for future generations.

During the thematic segment, Secretary (Labour & Employment), Ms. Sumita Dawra drew attention to major strides in modernizing the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), including the enrolment of over 6.2 crore new members in six-and-a-half years and reforms such as centralized pension processing system, auto-settlement of PF claims, and robust IT infrastructure. Alongside these achievements, Ms. Dawra underscored the ESIC expansion—from 2.03 crore insured persons (IPs) in 2014 to 3.72 crore in 2024—and the growing healthcare network across 165 hospitals and 1590 dispensaries. Additionally, she emphasized advances in Technological Development—notably the e-Shram and National Career Service portals—and the G20 Feasibility Study on Development of International Reference Classification, which aims to benchmark skills globally by 2026.