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“India has demonstrated that a country can empower millions of its citizens by combining digital innovation with financial inclusion and ensuring that economic progress leads to social inclusion,” Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, said at the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday. Speaking at a high-level roundtable on “Strengthening the Three Pillars of Social Development – Poverty Eradication, Full and Productive Employment and Decent Work for All, and Social Inclusion”, Mandaviya said India’s development model integrates high growth with high inclusion. Jobs and reforms surge Highlighting the decisive steps taken by the Government of India across all three pillars of social development, the minister said over 170 million new jobs were created between 2016–17 and 2023–24, women’s workforce participation doubled, and the unemployment rate declined from 6 per cent to 3.2 per cent during the period. He noted that labour reforms had been advanced by consolidating multiple laws into four simplified labour codes, while India continued to progress toward universal pension coverage. “India’s digital infrastructure has ensured the seamless delivery of welfare benefits to more than 1.4 billion citizens,” Dr Mandaviya said, adding that the country’s social protection coverage has surged from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025. Digital delivery at scale Recognising this achievement, the International Social Security Association (ISSA) conferred the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Social Security on India this year, he noted. “India has shown that rapid and inclusive growth drives social transformation. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, we continue this legacy by uniting economic progress with social development,” he said. The minister is attending the summit’s inaugural plenary session in Doha, which has brought together over 180 global dignitaries. The day also saw substantive bilateral and multilateral meetings focused on deepening labour cooperation, advancing social protection dialogues, and showcasing India’s achievements in digital governance and human capital development on the global stage. During his visit, Mandaviya also held bilateral meetings with representatives from Mauritius and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) to strengthen partnerships and expand collaboration in labour and social security domains. Published on November 4, 2025
