Workers of factories to be set up in 1000 days can’t move labour court, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan spells out changes in labour laws

Workers of industries to be set up in the state within next 1,000 days will not be able to go to the labour court.

Any dispute between the factory management and workers will be solved outside the court.

It has been done to give relief to industries and to generate jobs. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made the above statement on Thursday when he spelled out the amendments in labour laws.

The provisions in industrial laws have been relaxed till further orders.

The workers can go to court only in case of termination of services or closure of a particular unit. Petty disputes will be solved outside the court.

The chief minister said the disputes in industrial units running for long time will be solved outside the court.

A proposal for amendment in various Sections of the Industrial Dispute Act has been sent to the Central government.

Besides provisions for protection, many other relaxations have been given to those industries which will be set up in the state within 1,000 days.

Owner of the industry can select workers on his own.

The industries which will engage less than 100 workers have been given certain relaxations in provisions for employing workers.

The provisions, applicable to the industries engaging more than 50 workers, will now be applicable to those units keeping more than 100 workers, Chouhan said.

He said that shops, bidi-making units, motor transportation workers, MP Bhawan and other construction agencies will be given licence and registion on the same day.

Chouhan said the amendments were made to give boost to economy distressed by the corona pandemic.

Nevertheless, such amendments will not affect the workers’ interests, he said.

Renewal of licence for new industrial units will be done online, the chief minister said.

Chouhan said amendments were made to set up industries in the state.

Timings for opening markets have been changed to avoid crowds. Instead of 8 am to 10 pm, the markets will remain open from 6 am to midnight. Working times in factories have been extended from eight to 12 hours.

Instead of one year, industrial houses can renew their licences in ten years, Chouhan said.

Contract labour law has been changed, and now, the contract will for two years instead of one year.

Start-ups have to get registered only for one year, and they do not have to renew licence.

There will be no inspection of factories for three months. The owner can get his factory examined through a third party inspector.

Inspection of factories engaging less than 50 labourers will, however, be done with the permission of the labour commissioner, Chouhan said.

Proposals sent to Centre

The state government has sent some of the proposals to give relaxations to industries to the Centre.

A proposal for compounding punitive action under the Contract Labour Act, Inter-state Migrant Workmen Act and Motor Parivahan Karmakar Adhiniyam, has been sent to the Centre.

Those contractors who will engage 50 labourers instead of 20 should be exempted from licence.

The state government has also urged the Centre to exempt those industries which are run on power from registration, if they engage 50 workers.

At present, such units are required to be registered for engaging ten workers.

Big challenge for workers: Arun Yadav

Former president of the MP Congress Committee Arun Yadav said changes in the Factories Act would be a big challenge for the workers.

If the workers cannot go to labour court where they will go to seek justice, Yadav said.

It is also important whether the factory owners will give proper wages to workers after making them toil for 12 hours instead of eight.

He said the chief minister should give relief to industrialists, but he should keep in mind the interests of workers.