Auhona Mukherjee

Manufacturing PMI climbs to four-month high in Feb, rises to 56.9

However, the latest figure was significantly lower than the Flash India Manufacturing PMI of 57.5, released last month

EPFO retains employees' provident fund interest rate at 8.25% for 2025-26

This is the second year in a row that the EPF interest rate has been kept unchanged at 8.25%

EPFO panel clears new SOP for exempted establishments, CBT to take call

EPFO's Exempted Establishment Committee has approved a consolidated SOP to streamline regulation of exempted establishments, replacing annual audits with risk-based reviews; CBT will review it next

New GDP series: Consumption demand recovers in FY26, govt spending flat

India's Second Advance GDP Estimates for FY26 signal strengthening private consumption, steady government spending and firmer investment momentum, reflecting shifts under the revised GDP series

Internship, apprenticeship and skilling schemes face a reality check

PMIS, ELI and NAPS show promise but face low uptake, funding gaps and weak industry linkages, raising concerns over scale and job outcomes

Labour Ministry to auto-refund small balances in inoperative EPFO accounts

Pilot to cover 7.11 lakh inoperative EPFO accounts with ₹1,000 or less; funds to be auto-credited to Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts without fresh claims

Salary growth may ease to 9.1% in 2026; GCCs, pharma may be outliers

India Inc's salary growth is projected to ease to 9.1% in 2026, with GCCs and pharma firms leading increases as companies prioritise skill-based rewards, variable pay and talent retention strategies

Govt publishes handbook on employer compliance under Labour Codes

Labour Ministry releases a handbook outlining 23 compliance actions for employers under the four Labour Codes, offering clarity ahead of final rules expected by the end of the fiscal year

NITI Aayog seeks major overhaul of India's apprenticeship ecosystem

NITI Aayog has proposed a unified apprenticeship mission, stronger industry participation and targeted incentives to address fragmentation, low completion rates and uneven engagement across India

Private sector growth hits three-month high in Feb as new orders pick up

Companies recruit additional staff and scale up output as sales improve

EPFO likely to link with govt databases to enhance compliance monitoring

EPFO is also expanding data integration with state governments to widen compliance checks. Its payroll data is regularly shared with the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan

Govt asks EPFO to conduct study on impact of workforce formalisation

Panel seeks report in three months amid push on labour codes, eshram and social security coverage

States asked to speed up rules, nominate officials for Labour Code rollout

Labour Secretary Vandana Gurnani urged states and UTs to nominate officials, accelerate rule finalisation and support training to ensure smooth rollout of the four Labour Codes from FY27

Big outlays, small uptake: India's job schemes face a reality check

Despite large Budget allocations for PMIS and ELI, uptake remains low due to design issues, wage concerns and limited reach beyond big firms, prompting calls for a rethink

Urban India may account for 70% of GDP in FY26: Dun & Bradstreet report

Urban India to power 70% of GDP in FY26, with Tier-II and Tier-III cities emerging as new growth hubs, says Dun & Bradstreet report

Trade unions' strike against the labour Codes gets mixed response

Ten central trade unions organise nationwide protest against Labour Codes, reporting disruptions in coal, banking, transport and agriculture sectors

Nationwide strike against Labour Codes; banks, railways may see disruption

Ten central trade unions call a nationwide strike against Labour Codes; banking, transport and government services may face disruptions in several states

Share of flexi workers rose to 70% from 20% in 5 years, says report

The share of flexi workers in India's workforce rose sharply to 70 per cent in 2025 from 20 per cent in 2020, while the proportion of permanent workers declined, an ISF report said

EPFO to appoint new partner agencies, change custodian after 15 years

Retirement fund body EPFO is preparing to empanel new partner agencies and appoint a fresh custodian, as it revamps investment, audit and management arrangements

Workers expect timely payments, income security under Labour Codes: Study

A perception-based VVGNLI study finds most workers expect better income security and timely wages under the new Labour Codes, even as awareness and clarity on provisions remain uneven