🔆Current Context: The article discusses the need for greater emphasis on mental health of blue-collar workers in India, highlighting the disparity in legislative and policy frameworks compared to white-collar employees. Mental Health Scenario: ✅Economic Survey 2024: Mental health acknowledged as 'impactful driver' for individual & national development. 10.6% adults suffer from mental disorders, 70-92% treatment gap (National Mental Health Survey 2015-16). ✅WHO: Outlines workplace mental health risks: workload, work pace, long/inflexible hours, unsafe conditions, job insecurity, low pay, work-life conflict. Affects blue-collar workers more. Challenges: ✅OSHWC Code 2020: Occupational safety limited to physical safety, excludes mental well-being. Section 6(1)(d) vaguely defines employer's duty, Sections 23 & 24 narrowly define 'health' as physical. ✅Code on Social Security (CSC) 2020: 'Employment injury' (Section 2(28)) & compensation (Section 74) limited to accidents/occupational diseases (Third Schedule). Mental strain excluded. Direct link between injury & occupation required. ✅Elitism: Disparity in mental health focus between blue-collar & white-collar workers. Ex: Infosys, Wipro, TCS have employee well-being programs, but government initiatives lack implementation for blue-collar workers. ✅Awareness: Lack of awareness about initiatives like Tele Manas among blue-collar workers. Way Forward: ✅Legislative Framework: Rights & duty-based framework balancing employer's rights with worker's well-being (physical & mental). ✅Occupational Diseases: Third Schedule of CSC to include mental strain-related diseases. ✅Tripartite Relationship: Labour Codes to involve employers, blue-collar workers, & mental health specialists. ✅Sustainable Work Environment: Government intervention needed to counter emphasis on work quantity over quality & well-being. ✅Awareness: Employers to be mandated to create awareness about government initiatives like Tele Manas. ✅Stakeholder Recognition: Blue-collar workers to be included in mental health discourse. Possible Questions: ✅Prelims: Which of the following is/are a challenge(s) in addressing the mental health of blue-collar workers in India? The definition of occupational safety in the OSHWC Code 2020. The lack of specific mention of mental health in the Code on Social Security 2020. The absence of awareness about mental health initiatives among blue-collar workers. (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Mains: "The legislative and policy framework for occupational health in India disproportionately focuses on physical safety, neglecting the mental well-being of blue-collar workers." Discuss this statement and suggest measures to create a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to occupational health. #prelims #mains #health #social_issue