Naidu govt approves 10-hr workdays, night shifts for women in bid to attract more industry, investment
In a bid 'to reduce procedural compliance burden on industrial establishments' and thereby attract new industries, investments into the state, the Naidu cabinet has approved amendments to labour laws to extend daily working hours to 10 from present 9.
The extended work hour rules will also apply to shops and establishments in Andhra Pradesh, meaning the IT sector too.
Hyderabad: The Chandrababu Naidu government, under the slogan 'Speed of Doing Business', has decided to extend minimum working hours for private employees, while also allowing women to work in night shifts, in a major labour reform move.
According to Section 54 of the Factories Act, 1948, no adult worker 'is required or allowed to work in a factory for more than nine hours in any day'.
The Naidu government has also proposed to increase the interval for rest to 6 hours from the current 5.
Going for further amendments in the same law, the Naidu government has decided to let women work night shifts.
Section 66 (1) (b) of the Factories Act states that 'no woman shall be required or allowed to work in any factory except between the hours of 6 pm and 7 pm.'
'But now, women may work during night time with safeguards like consent, transport, security etc., facilities and under CCTV surveillance in well-lit areas,' Information and Public Relations Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy told reporters after the cabinet meeting last Wednesday at Amaravati.
'The facilitation would allow women's higher work participation in the organised sector, major industries, and corporate areas. It empowers women economically and promotes gender inclusion in industrial growth,' he added.
The total number of overtime work hours in a quarter—currently restricted to 75—can now go up to 144.
'Through these amendments, we are adopting global best practices. If the labour laws, regulations are convenient for workers and investors, businesses will come here naturally,' said Kolusu, adding that the relaxations are being brought under the government's push for ease of doing business in AP.
The cabinet thus approved proposals from the Labour, Factory Boilers & Insurance Medical Services Department to amend certain provisions of sections 54, 55, 56, 59, 64, 65, 66 of the Factories Act through the Andhra Pradesh Factories Act Amendment Bill, 2025, and certain provisions of sections 9, 10, 16, 17, 73 of the AP Shops and Establishments Act, 1988, through the AP Shops and Establishments Amendment Bill, 2025.
The amendment bills are expected to be introduced in the next assembly session.
However, industrialists are divided on the proposed changes.
'In manufacturing sectors, you cannot expect an employee to operate for long hours as the hard work tires them by 6-7 hours, bringing down efficiency thereafter. A worker losing focus is not good, posing dangers of industrial mishap or productivity losses,' Lakshmi Prasad Mekala, MD, Sujay Biotech, told ThePrint.
'Of course, the easing will be beneficial to other sectors like marketing, sales, small businesses, and those under the Shops and Establishments Act,' Mekala, past chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry Andhra Pradesh, added.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
Also Read: Naidu govt backs bigger families to maintain demographic dividend, lifts 2-child cap on maternity leave
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