Bhubaneswar: Labour Commissioner Indramani Tripathy has urged the Odisha government to convene a meeting of the Odisha Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Board (OUWSS Board) and take necessary decisions regarding its functioning under the Code on Social Security, 2020.
In a letter dated August 7 addressed to the Principal Secretary of the Labour and ESI Department, Tripathy noted that the Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified four Labour Codes, including the Code on Social Security, 2020 (SS Code). These codes came into effect from 21 November 2025, repealing 29 Central labour laws. Among the repealed laws is the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008. As a result, the activities of both the Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board and the Odisha Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Board are now to be carried out under the provisions of the SS Code.
While the Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board can continue to function under the transitional provisions of the Code, a similar transitional arrangement is not available for the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Board. The Labour Commissioner has therefore requested an early meeting of the Board so that appropriate decisions can be taken for its constitution and functioning under the new legal framework.
The state government has already notified draft Odisha Rules under the labour codes in February 2026 and invited objections and suggestions. The final Odisha Rules are yet to be notified.
