Employees form Manufacturing Sector: Working Hours, Safety, Health & Welfare issues
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 159
ANSWERED ON: 14.09.2020
Working Hours
D. M. Kathir Anand
Will the Minister of
LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:-
(a)whether the Government has taken enough measures to ensure that the workers work only for 8 hours and regularize employees;
(b)if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government;
(c)if not, the reasons therefor; and
(d)whether the Government has taken any measures to ensure that labourers are not exploited in this new work from home scenario and if so, the steps taken and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)
(a) & (b): Yes, Sir. The Government of India has enacted a comprehensive legislation i.e. the Factories Act, 1948, for taking care of the occupational safety, health & welfare issues of the workers employed in manufacturing sector. There are elaborate provisions under the Act pertaining to the health, safety, welfare provisions including working hours and the state governments are empowered under the Act to frame their respective State Factories Rules and are enforced by the respective States/UTs. As per Section 51 and 54 of the said Act, no adult workers shall be required or allowed to work in a factory for more than forty-eight hours in any week or nine hours in any day respectively.
(c): Does not arise.
(d): The provisions of the Factories Act, 1948 provides for safety, health and welfare of the workers working in the factory premises registered under the said Act. The provision for work from home doesn’t come under the purview of the Act.
COMMENTS