The Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment led the Indian delegation at the 114th International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, where India highlighted its labour reforms, expansion of social protection, and achievements in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

However, despite the enactment of the four Labour Codes, concerns remain regarding weak implementation, inadequate enforcement, and limited protection for the vast informal and gig workforce, leaving millions of workers outside the effective social security net.

Summary

India showcased its progress in labour reforms, improved employment indicators, and wider social security coverage through initiatives such as the e-Shram Portal, National Career Service Portal, and the Labour Codes.

Nevertheless, challenges such as weak implementation, wage stagnation, lack of protection for gig workers, limited collective bargaining rights, and insufficient social security mechanisms continue to expose structural vulnerabilities in India's labour market.

What are the Key Highlights of India’s Address at the 114th ILC?

Consolidation of Labour Laws

India emphasized that its labour reforms are guided by the principle of "Antyodaya" (upliftment of the weakest sections). Under this approach, 29 Central Labour Laws were consolidated into four modern Labour Codes to simplify compliance procedures while strengthening worker welfare.

Improvement in Employment and Employability Indicators

Youth Employability

India highlighted that youth employability increased from 34% in 2014 to over 56% in 2025, reflecting improvements in skilling and employment opportunities.

Declining Unemployment Rate

The unemployment rate reportedly declined from 6% in 2017 to 3.1% in 2025, indicating better labour market performance.

Rising Female Labour Force Participation

Women's workforce participation increased significantly from 22% to 38.8%, demonstrating greater female inclusion in economic activities.

Expansion of Social Protection Coverage

India informed the International Labour Organization (ILO) that social protection coverage expanded from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025, covering nearly 1 billion people according to ILO estimates.

This expansion has been supported by various welfare initiatives and digital platforms aimed at integrating informal workers into formal social protection systems.

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) as Soft Power

India showcased the National Career Service Portal and the e-Shram Portal as successful examples of Digital Public Goods (DPGs) that can be replicated globally.

India also offered technical assistance to countries such as Rwanda and Sri Lanka for developing similar workforce formalisation and labour-market information systems.

International Labour Mobility

India emphasized a whole-of-government approach towards linking domestic skilling initiatives with international employment opportunities.

The country is also collaborating with the ILO on developing an international reference classification of occupations to improve global labour mobility.

New Employment Initiatives

India highlighted the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, which aims to accelerate employment generation and strengthen labour market participation.

International Labour Conference (ILC)

About the ILC

The International Labour Conference (ILC) is the highest decision-making body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and is often referred to as the "International Parliament of Labour."

It meets annually in Geneva, Switzerland, to formulate global labour standards and discuss major issues concerning the world of work.

Unique Tripartite Structure

Unlike most international organisations, the ILC follows a tripartite structure, where each member country sends:

• Two Government Delegates

• One Employer Delegate

• One Worker Delegate

Each delegate enjoys independent voting rights, ensuring balanced representation of governments, employers, and workers.

The Four New Labour Codes

Code on Wages, 2019

The Code universalises minimum wages and ensures timely wage payments across both organised and unorganised sectors.

Industrial Relations Code, 2020

The Code streamlines industrial dispute resolution mechanisms, modifies trade union recognition procedures, and changes rules governing layoffs, retrenchment, and closure of establishments.

Code on Social Security, 2020

The Code expands the coverage of EPFO and ESIC and, for the first time, provides a legal framework for including gig workers and platform workers within the social security architecture.

Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020

The OSH Code regulates workplace safety and explicitly addresses the concerns of inter-state migrant workers and contract labourers.

Why Does the Indian Workforce Remain Vulnerable Despite Labour Reforms?

Gig Workers Remain in a Legal Grey Zone

Although the Social Security Code, 2020 recognises gig and platform workers, it does not classify them as regular employees.

Consequently, they remain outside the ambit of the Industrial Relations Code and the OSH Code, depriving them of rights related to minimum wages, collective bargaining, and workplace safety protections.

Algorithmic Management and Digital Exploitation

Workers in the delivery and logistics sectors increasingly operate under algorithm-driven systems, where automated ratings, opaque allocation mechanisms, and changing incentive structures determine earnings and work opportunities.

Platform companies often alter payment structures unilaterally, reducing worker incomes without effective grievance redressal mechanisms.

Higher Thresholds for Layoffs and Closures

The Industrial Relations Code, 2020 increased the threshold requiring government permission for layoffs and closures from 100 workers to 300 workers.

Critics argue that this creates a more flexible "hire and fire" regime, reducing job security for workers in small and medium-sized enterprises.

Ambiguity Regarding Working Hours

Although the OSH Code prescribes a 48-hour work week, it provides limited clarity on daily working hours and rest intervals.

This ambiguity has enabled some employers to impose 12-hour shifts under flexible work arrangements without adequately compensating overtime work.

Weakening of Collective Bargaining

The new labour framework requires a trade union to secure support from 51% of workers to become the sole negotiating representative.

Additionally, the requirement of a 60-day notice period before strikes and restrictions during conciliation proceedings reduce the effectiveness of collective labour action.

Limited Applicability of Workplace Safety Regulations

The OSH Code applies primarily to establishments employing 10 or more workers, thereby excluding a large segment of India's informal economy and micro-enterprises from statutory workplace safety requirements.

Challenges in Translating e-Shram Data into Welfare Benefits

Although the e-Shram Portal has successfully registered millions of informal workers, converting this digital database into actual benefits such as healthcare, pensions, and financial assistance remains inconsistent across states.

Inflation-Induced Wage Erosion

India's minimum wage system consists of a base wage component and a Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) linked to the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW).

Between 2021 and 2026, inflation significantly increased, but many states delayed revisions to base wages, resulting in substantial erosion of real incomes.

Socio-Economic Pressures on Migrant Workers

Inter-state migrant workers continue to face rising urban rents, food inflation, and increased living costs, which have outpaced wage growth and intensified economic insecurity.

What Measures Can Strengthen Labour Welfare?

Create a Separate Category for Platform Workers

India should move beyond the traditional distinction between employees and independent contractors by introducing a "Dependent Contractor" category, similar to emerging international practices.

Such a framework can ensure minimum earnings and social protection without disrupting platform-based business models.

Replicate the Rajasthan Model

The Rajasthan Platform-Based Gig Workers Act, 2023 offers a potential template by establishing welfare boards and imposing welfare cess mechanisms on digital platforms.

Similar initiatives could be expanded nationally.

Promote Digital Compliance Mechanisms

Digital wage payments, electronic employment records, and data-driven monitoring systems can improve compliance while reducing excessive dependence on traditional inspection-based enforcement.

Strengthen Welfare Integration through e-Shram

The e-Shram database should be integrated with schemes such as:

• One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC)

• Ayushman Bharat

• PM-SYM (Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan)

Such convergence can ensure faster delivery of welfare benefits to vulnerable workers.

Revive the Indian Labour Conference

Regular meetings of the Indian Labour Conference (ILC) can strengthen tripartite dialogue among governments, employers, and labour unions and facilitate more inclusive policymaking.

Conclusion

India's labour reforms through the Four Labour Codes represent an important step towards improving economic competitiveness and labour market efficiency. However, the success of these reforms ultimately depends on extending social security, fair wages, and decent working conditions to the country's vast informal and gig workforce.

Achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 requires balancing labour market flexibility with worker welfare so that economic growth translates into inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development

India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has steadily declined and is now close to or below the replacement level of 2.1 in most States. Consequently, the country's demographic challenge is gradually shifting from managing a youthful population to addressing the implications of an ageing society.

However, recent policy discussions have increasingly focused on issues such as illegal immigration, border security, and religious demographic changes, raising questions about whether India's demographic policies are being guided primarily by evidence-based concerns or broader political considerations.

The Real Demographic Challenge: Population Ageing

Declining FertiIndia's Total Felity and Its Implications

India's sustained decline in fertility rates indicates that population ageing, rather than rapid population growth, will become the principal demographic concern in the coming decades. This demographic transition will require greater investments in geriatric healthcare, pension systems, social security mechanisms, and long-term elderly care infrastructure.

Policy Priorities and Demographic Realities

Despite these emerging realities, much of the contemporary demographic discourse has centred on undocumented migration and religious population trends. Critics argue that such concerns may divert attention from more pressing challenges related to demographic sustainability, labour markets, and economic development in an ageing society.

Concerns Regarding the High-Level Committee on Demographic Change

Absence of Demographic Expertise

The composition of the High-Level Committee on Demographic Change has attracted criticism because it reportedly lacks professional demographers and population scientists. Instead, the committee consists predominantly of retired administrators and officials.

Implications for Policy Formulation

Demographic policymaking requires specialised knowledge of fertility transitions, migration patterns, population ageing, and labour force dynamics. The absence of domain experts raises concerns that administrative and security considerations may overshadow rigorous, evidence-based demographic analysis.

The Debate Over Illegal Immigration

Claims of Large-Scale Migration

The issue of Bangladeshi migration has remained a major political concern, particularly in border states such as Assam and West Bengal. Arguments have been made that undocumented migration is altering demographic balances and influencing electoral outcomes.

Evaluating the Evidence

Demographers emphasise that population growth in border regions can arise from multiple factors, including internal migration, urbanisation, and regional fertility differences. Population growth figures alone cannot be considered conclusive proof of large-scale illegal immigration without comprehensive demographic analysis.

Economic Realities and Migration Patterns

Bangladesh’s Economic Transformation

Over the past two decades, Bangladesh has witnessed substantial improvements in per capita income, healthcare, education, and human development indicators, bringing it closer to India's developmental trajectory.

Challenging Migration Narratives

These economic transformations weaken the traditional perception of Bangladesh as a major source of distress-driven migration. Although cross-border movement continues to exist, available evidence does not support claims of migration on a scale capable of fundamentally altering India's demographic structure.

Fertility Trends and Religious Demographics

The Myth of Religious Determinism

Public discourse often assumes that differences in fertility behaviour are primarily driven by religion. However, empirical evidence shows that fertility rates across all religious communities, including Muslims, have declined significantly over time.

The Role of Socioeconomic Factors

Research consistently demonstrates that factors such as female education, healthcare access, urbanisation, income levels, and women's empowerment influence fertility decisions far more than religious identity. For instance, Muslim women in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Jammu & Kashmir often exhibit lower fertility rates than Hindu women in some northern states.

Converging Fertility Patterns

The fertility gap between Hindus and Muslims has narrowed considerably and continues to shrink. These trends indicate that socioeconomic development, rather than religion, remains the primary determinant of reproductive behaviour.

Social and Political Implications

Risks of Communal Polarisation

An excessive focus on religious demographics may reinforce stereotypes, deepen social divisions, and contribute to the marginalisation of minority communities. Such narratives can weaken social cohesion and intensify communal tensions.

Human Rights and Democratic Values

Policies involving the identification, detention, and deportation of undocumented migrants raise broader concerns regarding civil liberties, human rights, and constitutional protections. Democratic governance requires balancing legitimate security concerns with the principles of equality, justice, and due process.

Way Forward

Adopt Evidence-Based Demographic Policies

Demographic policymaking should rely upon scientific evidence, reliable population data, and the expertise of professional demographers rather than political narratives or perceptions.

Prepare for Population Ageing

India must strengthen its elderly healthcare systems, expand pension coverage, and develop robust long-term care ecosystems to address the challenges associated with an ageing population.

Invest in Human Capital

Greater investments in education, skill development, healthcare, and employment generation are essential for converting India's demographic transition into sustained economic growth.

Promote Inclusive Development

Reducing regional disparities, improving women's empowerment, and ensuring equitable access to public services will further support demographic convergence and strengthen social harmony.

Conclusion

India's demographic future will be shaped primarily by declining fertility, population ageing, and socioeconomic transformation, rather than fears of demographic takeover through immigration or religious change. Effective policymaking must therefore prioritise evidence-based analysis, expert participation, and inclusive development strategies. Addressing challenges related to healthcare, social security, employment, and human capital formation will be far more critical for India's long-term stability and prosperity.

India’s fertility rates have steadily declined over the last few decades and are now approaching or falling below the replacement level in many States. Consequently, the country is moving towards an ageing society where issues such as elderly healthcare, pensions, social security, and long-term care systems will become increasingly important.

Policy Priorities and Demographic Realities

Despite these emerging demographic challenges, public discourse has increasingly focused on illegal immigration and religious demographic changes. Critics argue that such concerns may divert attention away from long-term issues of demographic sustainability, economic productivity, and welfare planning for an ageing population.

Concerns Regarding the High-Level Committee on Demographic Change

Absence of Demographic Expertise

The composition of the High-Level Committee on Demographic Change has attracted criticism because it reportedly lacks professional demographers and population scientists. Instead, it consists largely of retired administrators and government officials.

Implications for Policy Formulation

Demographic policymaking requires specialised expertise in population studies, migration patterns, fertility transitions, and ageing trends. The absence of domain experts raises concerns that administrative or security perspectives may dominate evidence-based demographic analysis.

The Debate Over Illegal Immigration

Claims of Large-Scale Migration

The issue of undocumented migration, particularly from Bangladesh, has remained a major political issue in border states such as Assam and West Bengal. Concerns have been raised regarding demographic changes, electoral impacts, and pressure on local resources.

Evaluating the Evidence

Population growth in border regions can arise from multiple factors, including internal migration, urbanisation, differential fertility rates, and economic opportunities. Demographic experts argue that population increases alone cannot be treated as conclusive evidence of large-scale illegal migration and require comprehensive analysis.

Economic Realities and Migration Patterns

Bangladesh’s Economic Transformation

Over the last two decades, Bangladesh has achieved substantial improvements in economic growth, human development, education, healthcare, and per capita income. In several indicators, its performance is comparable to or better than that of India.

Challenging Migration Narratives

These economic changes weaken the traditional argument that Bangladesh remains a significant source of distress-driven migration. While some cross-border movement undoubtedly exists, available evidence does not indicate migration on a scale capable of fundamentally altering India’s demographic structure.

Fertility Trends and Religious Demographics

The Myth of Religious Determinism

Public debates often express concerns that higher Muslim fertility rates could significantly alter India’s demographic composition. However, demographic data show that fertility rates among all religious communities, including Muslims, have declined substantially over time.

The Role of Socioeconomic Factors

Research consistently demonstrates that factors such as female education, income levels, healthcare access, urbanisation, and employment opportunities have a much stronger influence on fertility behaviour than religion itself. For example, Muslim women in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Jammu & Kashmir often have lower fertility rates than Hindu women in some northern states.

Converging Fertility Patterns

The fertility gap between Hindus and Muslims has narrowed considerably over the years and continues to decline. This convergence indicates that socioeconomic development remains the primary driver of demographic change rather than religious identity.

Social and Political Implications

Risks of Communal Polarisation

An excessive focus on religious demographics can reinforce stereotypes, deepen social divisions, and contribute to the marginalisation of minority communities. Such narratives may weaken social cohesion and create unnecessary tensions within a diverse society.

Human Rights and Democratic Values

Policies involving identification, detention, and deportation of undocumented migrants raise broader questions concerning civil liberties, due process, and human rights protections. Democratic governance requires balancing national security concerns with constitutional values of equality and justice.

Way Forward

Adopt Evidence-Based Demographic Policies

Demographic policymaking should be guided by reliable data, rigorous research, and professional expertise rather than political narratives. Greater involvement of demographers and social scientists can improve policy outcomes.

Prepare for Population Ageing

India needs to strengthen geriatric healthcare systems, expand pension coverage, develop long-term care infrastructure, and build social protection mechanisms to address the challenges associated with an ageing population.

Invest in Human Capital

Quality education, healthcare, skill development, and employment opportunities will remain essential for transforming India’s demographic transition into sustainable economic growth.

Promote Inclusive Development

Reducing regional disparities, improving women's empowerment, and ensuring equitable access to social services can further accelerate demographic convergence and strengthen social harmony.

Conclusion

India’s long-term demographic challenge lies not in fears of demographic takeover but in managing declining fertility, population ageing, and socioeconomic transformation. Effective public policy must therefore prioritise evidence-based analysis, expert participation, and inclusive development strategies. Addressing healthcare, employment, education, and social security concerns will be far more critical to India's future than narratives centred on immigration and religious demographic change

Kirana stores are small, family-owned neighbourhood retail outlets that form the backbone of India's retail ecosystem. India has more than 12 million retail stores, most of which belong to the unorganised sector.

• Key Characteristics: Kirana stores enjoy advantages such as close proximity to consumers, personalised customer relationships, informal credit facilities through the khata system, flexible inventories based on local tastes, low operational costs, and dependence on family labour.

About Quick Commerce (QC)

• Meaning: Quick Commerce refers to the delivery of groceries and essential goods within 10–30 minutes through digital platforms and dark-store networks.

• Examples: Major players include Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, BigBasket Now, and Flipkart Minutes, which combine technology, analytics, and logistics to provide rapid delivery services.

• Nature of the Model: Quick commerce essentially replicates the convenience traditionally offered by kirana stores but enhances it through digital ordering systems, data-driven inventory management, and large-scale supply chains.

Why Organised Retail Could Not Replace Kiranas

• Superior Customer Intimacy: Kirana stores have built strong social capital through long-standing relationships with customers. They provide home delivery on a simple phone call, offer informal credit, and understand local preferences better than organised retail formats.

• Convenience and Accessibility: Consumers prefer nearby kirana stores because they eliminate the need for travelling, searching through large supermarkets, and waiting in long checkout queues.

• Consumer Diversity in India: India's vast diversity in tastes, incomes, and consumption patterns makes it difficult for standardised retail chains to cater to regional preferences, local brands, and small package sizes.

• High Real Estate Costs: Expensive urban real estate has increased operational costs for organised retail, reducing the viability of economies of scale as a competitive advantage.

• Informal Flexibility: Kirana stores can quickly respond to local demand changes, operate with low overheads, and remain resilient during economic disruptions.

Challenges Faced by Kirana Stores

• Loss of Prime Locations: Rising property prices have forced many kirana stores to move away from affluent neighbourhoods, reducing customer convenience.

• Limited Working Capital: Small retailers often struggle to expand inventories and maintain diverse stock because of limited access to formal sources of finance.

• Technological Disadvantages: Quick commerce platforms use artificial intelligence, demand forecasting, digital payments, and customer analytics, whereas many kirana stores still rely on traditional business methods.

• Generational Transition Issues: Younger family members increasingly prefer professional careers, creating succession challenges for family-run retail businesses.

• Competition from Digital Platforms: Quick commerce platforms attract consumers through rapid delivery, greater product variety, discounts, and loyalty programmes, leading to a gradual shift in consumer preferences.

Implications for the Indian Economy

Positive Implications

• Consumer Welfare: Quick commerce provides greater convenience, saves time, expands consumer choices, and promotes price competition.

• Supply Chain Modernisation: Digital retail improves inventory management, reduces wastage, strengthens logistics infrastructure, and contributes to the formalisation of trade.

• Support for D2C Brands: Direct-to-Consumer brands can access affluent consumers without building extensive nationwide distribution systems.

• Employment Generation: The growth of quick commerce has created jobs in warehousing, logistics, delivery services, and technology sectors.

Concerns

• Impact on Small Retailers: Large-scale adoption of quick commerce may adversely affect the livelihoods of millions dependent on traditional retail.

• Market Concentration: Dominance by a few digital platforms may create monopolistic tendencies and reduce market competition.

• Gig Worker Vulnerability: Delivery workers often face income instability, inadequate social security, and occupational hazards.

• Environmental Concerns: Rapid delivery systems contribute to urban congestion and generate substantial packaging waste.

Government Initiatives and Policy Responses

• Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC): ONDC aims to democratise digital commerce by enabling kirana stores and small retailers to participate in the e-commerce ecosystem on equal terms with large platforms.

• PM SVANidhi Scheme: The scheme provides collateral-free working capital loans to small vendors and micro-retailers, improving their liquidity and financial resilience.

• Digital India Programme: It promotes digital payments, internet connectivity, and technology adoption among small businesses and retailers.

• Udyam Registration and MSME Support: Formal registration enables kirana stores to access institutional credit and various government support schemes available to micro-enterprises.

• Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020: These rules ensure transparency, accountability, and consumer welfare in the digital commerce sector.

• National Retail Trade Policy (Proposed): The proposed policy seeks to modernise small retailers and enhance their competitiveness in a rapidly changing retail environment.

Conclusion

• Transformation Rather than Replacement: India's retail sector is witnessing the transformation of kirana stores rather than their complete disappearance. Quick commerce offers technological advantages and greater convenience, but India's socio-economic diversity and strong local relationships continue to support the relevance of traditional retail.

• Need for Modernisation: Kirana stores must increasingly adopt digital tools, modern business practices, and integrate with emerging platforms to remain competitive while preserving the trust and personalised services that have historically been their greatest strengths

The Kadamparai Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant (PSHPP) is a 400 MW hydroelectric project situated in the Kadamparai River basin in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, near Valparai in the Anamalai Hills of the Western Ghats. Commissioned in 1987, it was the first pumped storage power station in Tamil Nadu and continues to be the state's only facility equipped with reversible two-way turbines, allowing it to function both as a power generator and an energy storage system.

Working Mechanism

The project operates between the Kadamparai Dam (Upper Reservoir) and the Lower Aliyar Dam (Lower Reservoir). During periods of high electricity demand, water is released from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir, driving the turbines and generating electricity. Conversely, during off-peak hours, particularly at night when surplus electricity from wind and solar energy is available, the same turbines function in reverse as pumps, transferring water back to the upper reservoir. This process enables the storage of excess energy for future use and makes the plant an important component of grid management.

Storage Capacity and Power Generation

The Kadamparai Dam has a storage capacity of 1,080 million cubic feet (mcft), while the Lower Aliyar Dam can store 937 mcft of water. The power station consists of four generating units of 100 MW each, giving it a total installed capacity of 400 MW. By utilizing a minimum of 4 mcft of water from the upper reservoir, each unit can generate 100 MW, or one lakh units of electricity, per hour.

Technological Features

The plant employs reversible Francis pump-turbines, which can operate both in generator mode and motor mode. In generator mode, the turbines convert the potential energy of falling water into electricity, whereas in motor mode, they use electrical energy to pump water back to the upper reservoir. This dual functionality allows the project to serve as a large-scale energy storage facility, often described as a natural battery for the power grid.

Significance

Kadamparai plays a vital role in maintaining grid stability and peak-load management in Tamil Nadu. It supports the integration of renewable energy sources, especially wind and solar power, by storing surplus electricity generated during periods of low demand and releasing it during peak consumption hours. The project also reduces dependence on expensive thermal power generation for meeting peak electricity requirements and serves as an important model for future pumped storage projects in India.

Current Challenges

Having been operational for nearly four decades, the plant has exceeded its original design life and is currently functioning at only about 25% of its installed capacity. Ageing machinery, declining efficiency, and increasing maintenance requirements have created operational challenges. The need for modernization and refurbishment has become more pressing, particularly as India's growing renewable energy capacity increases the importance of efficient energy storage systems.

Importance in India's Energy Transition

As India moves towards a cleaner energy mix, pumped storage hydropower is emerging as a critical technology for balancing intermittent renewable energy sources. The Kadamparai project demonstrates the strategic importance of such systems in ensuring reliable power supply, supporting renewable integration, and strengthening energy security. Its experience and legacy continue to inform the development of new pumped storage projects across the country.

Mesalina bishnoi is a newly discovered species of lizard found near Gajner in Bikaner district, Rajasthan. The species inhabits an arid landscape characterized by hard, rocky soil and sparse desert vegetation.

It represents the first confirmed record of the genus Mesalina in India. The genus comprises small, fast-moving, diurnal lizards that are adapted to arid and semi-arid environments. Although British zoologist Malcolm A. Smith mentioned Mesalina watsonana in Jaisalmer in 1935, no specimen-based evidence had previously confirmed the genus's presence in India.

The species has been named Mesalina bishnoi in honour of the Bishnoi community for its long-standing commitment to wildlife and environmental conservation.

Physical Features

Mesalina bishnoi is a small-bodied lizard with a snout-vent length of 39.2 mm. It exhibits a greyish to olive-brown coloration with a pair of dorsolateral stripes extending from the neck towards the tail. Distinctive black markings behind the eyes, along with irregular dark blotches and white spots on the body, give it a mottled appearance. Its underside is pale grey to off-white.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) recently celebrated the 37th Raising Day of Project UDAYAK, which plays a crucial role in developing strategic infrastructure in India's far-eastern border regions.

About Project UDAYAK

Project UDAYAK is a major initiative of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) responsible for the construction and maintenance of strategic road infrastructure in the easternmost parts of India. The project derives its name from 'Udayak', meaning the Rising Sun, as the first rays of the sun in India fall within its area of responsibility.

History

Project UDAYAK was raised on 1 June 1990 at Doomdooma in Assam as part of the restructuring of the BRO to accelerate infrastructure development in the far-eastern region of the country.

Its two executive arms, namely 48 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) and 752 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF), were carved out from Project Vartak and Project Sewak, respectively, to undertake developmental activities in the region.

Area of Responsibility

The project is primarily responsible for the development and maintenance of strategic roads in Arunachal Pradesh and certain parts of Assam. It covers several remote and geographically challenging regions that are critical from both developmental and security perspectives.

Strategic Importance

Project UDAYAK plays a vital role in enhancing connectivity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and the Indo–Myanmar border. Improved road infrastructure facilitates the movement of defence forces, strengthens border management, and promotes socio-economic development in isolated areas.

The project is also actively involved in the construction of border fencing infrastructure along the Indo–Myanmar border, thereby contributing to national security and improving accessibility in frontier regions.

Major Achievements

Over the years, Project UDAYAK has significantly improved connectivity in some of India's most inaccessible regions. Its efforts have supported strategic mobility, strengthened border infrastructure, and facilitated the integration of remote communities with mainstream economic and administrative networks, making it an important component of India's border development strategy.