India’s new Labour Codes—particularly the OSH&WC Code, 2020 and the Social Security Code, 2020—usher in transformative reforms for the mining sector by strengthening safety standards, improving working hours, expanding social security coverage, and modernizing welfare facilities. The reforms introduce uniform safety norms, compulsory annual health check-ups, flexible working hours, portable PF and ESI benefits, and enhanced protections for women and young workers. They also streamline compliance through digital registration, single annual returns, and a facilitator-based inspection system. Together, these initiatives empower mine workers while improving ease of doing business across the mining industry.
