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Union Labour Secretary Arti Ahuja has said that in the context of India's rapid economic growth and its integration into global markets, it is crucial to maintain high industrial safety standards as these are influencing free trade agreements (FTAs) and their non-compliance can lead to trade barriers affecting India's economic growth. 

The secretary underscored the pivotal role of robust industrial safety standards in safeguarding India's trajectory towards becoming the third-largest global economy. She also mentioned the use of software in Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) hospitals to detect and respond to occupational health issues as an example to illustrate the use of technology to detect health issues. 

The software employed across 160 ESIC hospitals has enabled the mapping of patterns related to occupational diseases, a measure drawing from the data analysis strategies used during the COVID-19 pandemic. The evidence thus produced has been instrumental in engaging industry stakeholders and State governments, urging them to adhere to safety standards and prevent occupational hazards.