In keeping with election promises, the Narendra Modi government has taken a big step towards overhauling labour laws in the country with the Cabinet clearing amendments to three critical laws to make them more business friendly.
Here's the latest developments in this story:
The government has proposed 54 changes to the factories Act of 1948. This includes relaxing norms for woman factory workers to work at night and prohibiting pregnant women and persons with disabilities from being given tasks that involve machinery in motion.
The new provisions double the limit on overtime - from 50 hours in a quarter to 100.
The government has proposed doing away with a provision for prosecution of factory owners for small offences.
It has also increased the penalty for factory owners who violate the factories act.
The government seeks to exempt companies that employ 40 workers or less from complying with the labour law, 1988.
It has proposed amendments to the apprentice act, which will now include 500 new trades. Companies can add new trades under the Act without the Centre's approval, it suggests.
Under the new provisions, contractual workers, daily workers, agency workers and casual workers will come under the Apperentice Act.
Apprentices will get parity on holidays, leaves, shifts with regular workers
It drops a provision that employers who do not implement the apprentice act will be arrested; a fine of Rs 500 may be imposed for shortfall in an apprenticeship month.
The government wants to bring these amendments in the three acts before Parliament in the ongoing session, which ends on August 14.
