Amendment to Factories Act to extend work hours unlikely: Officials

Officials said the proposal hasn’t moved forward because the government wants to focus primarily on the rejuvenation of the agri and rural sector.

A recommendation by senior civil servants to extend the work hours of employees at companies selling essential foods and groceries to reduce their staff requirement is unlikely to be implemented immediately, officials aware of the matter said on condition of anonymity.

Labourers work inside an iron factory. (REUTERS)

Government top brass, while accepting most of the suggestions by the empowered group of secretaries, is unlikely to consider amendments proposed to the Factories Act at this juncture because of multiple reasons.

The note of the secretaries, recommending 12-hour shifts in factories, said: “The additional 4 hours a day will be paid as overtime subject to an overtime limit of 24 hours per week...This would allow {factories} to run the majority of operations for 6 days with a reduction of close to 33% of people passing through the facility on a daily basis.”

Officials said the proposal hasn’t moved forward because the government wants to focus primarily on the rejuvenation of the agri and rural sector.

“The focus should be to give opportunities to as many workers as possible,” said the official.