Indian businesses and states are rushing to adapt to the sudden introduction of what Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed as one of the biggest overhauls of labour rules since the country’s independence from Britain in 1947.

Unions organised demonstrations in several states as well as in New Delhi after the government suddenly enacted four new legislative codes, compressing and updating 29 laws — some of which date back to the colonial era — late last month.

The regulations seek to formalise the vast informal sector, slashing gig contracts, expanding coverage of social security to include India’s more than 10mn gig workers and establishing the right to minimum salaries with a benchmark “statutory floor wage”. The rules will also erase restrictions on hiring women for certain jobs and grant free annual health check-ups for employees.