Vivek Venkatswamy backs job security at Hyderabad BRICS summit

He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the BRICS Trade Union Forum Summit 2026 at the Marriott Hotel in Hyderabad.

Hyderabad: Telangana Labour and Employment Minister Vivek Venkatswamy on Tuesday, July 14, said that workers contribute their best only when they have confidence in the security of their jobs, and called on nations to strengthen social security systems, protect workers’ rights and invest in skill development.

He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the BRICS Trade Union Forum Summit 2026 at the Marriott Hotel in Hyderabad. The three-day international summit, hosted by the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), began on Tuesday and will end to Thrusday, July 16.

The ceremony was attended by 110 delegates from 14 countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Belarus, Malaysia and Nigeria.

Highlighting Telangana’s initiatives, the minister said the state government has placed special emphasis on preparing its workforce for future industry requirements by establishing Advanced Technology Centres (ATCs) across Telangana.

Additionally, to meet the growing global demand for skilled manpower, the Telangana Overseas Manpower Company (TOMCOM) is facilitating overseas employment opportunities for youth in countries such as Germany, Japan, several European nations and West Bengal.

These initiatives, he said, are enabling young people to secure high-paying international jobs while also strengthening the state’s skilled workforce.

BRICS can help shape human-centric workplaces

Meanwhile, Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said there was immense potential for cooperation among BRICS countries in areas such as social security, skills, artificial intelligence (AI) and decent work.

He said the forthcoming BRICS labour and employment ministers’ meeting in Hyderabad on July 15 provides an excellent opportunity to translate the recommendations emerging from the summit into concrete policy cooperation and practical outcomes.

Together, BRICS can shape a future of work that is innovative, inclusive and human-centric, he said.

170 million employment opportunities created in India in the last decade

Observing that employment generation remains at the heart of India’s growth strategy, he said over the last decade, nearly 170 million employment opportunities have been created.

“The unemployment rate has declined from six per cent in 2017 to 3.1 per cent in 2025, while the female employment rate has increased significantly from 22 per cent to 38.8 per cent” during the same period, he claimed.

To sustain this momentum, the Centre has launched the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, an employment-linked incentive scheme that aims to create 35 million formal sector jobs over the next two years, Mandaviya said.

80 million active users under EPFO

Talking about the reforms and achievements in labour-related issues, Mandaviya said that the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), with over 80 million active members and eight million pensioners, is among the world’s largest social security organisations providing provident fund and pension benefits.

Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) covers over 150 million insured persons and their dependents, making it one of the world’s most extensive workplace-linked health insurance and social security systems, he added.

Recognising the needs of the country’s growing workforce, ESIC and EPFO also underwent significant reforms aimed at expanding social security coverage, simplifying processes and enhancing service delivery for beneficiaries and employers, Mandaviya said.

India’s social protection covers 1 billion citizens: Union minister

These efforts have contributed to India’s remarkable progress towards universal social protection. India’s social protection coverage has expanded from 19 per cent in 2015 to 64.3 per cent in 2025, covering nearly 940 million people.

Preliminary estimates for 2026 show that coverage has crossed one billion citizens, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)